Dark Passion
by J R Mai
Summary: Ranger POV - Stephanie Plum. The girl that was both a pain in the ass and worth the trouble all at the same time. Now Ranger has her all to himself in Hawaii. For better or for worse. Find out Ranger's side of what happened in Hawaii. Companion piece to PLUM PASSION. Before Explosive Eighteen. Original titles by J R Mai are available on Kindle and Amazon. com
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

Some days it seemed like there was nothing to life but a long, endless pile of paperwork. It was his least favorite part of the job. Most of the time, running a security firm like Rangeman took a certain finesse. Dealing with clients who expected the world for the high fees and exclusivity. Keeping his men in line and out of trouble. Managing one catastrophic crisis after another. But other times, it was just paperwork.

Too bad Steph wasn't around. He'd have blown this off in a heartbeat if she was in his apartment. Even if it was just to hang out. Watch a movie or a game on that giant flat screen television in his den that he never used. A glass of wine or a beer. Maybe make out.

Maybe more.

Ranger almost smiled. More would have been likely, given recent events.

He'd been chasing Stephanie Plum for a while now. It never bothered him that she was so hard to catch. In fact in some ways, it made it more fun. She was the curious type. Had almost no self control. And she wanted him. Bad. He felt it every time he kissed her. She would eventually pull away, or remind him that he was poaching, but there'd always be a moment or two when she melted into him, surrendering to his touch with the readiness of a woman who wanted so much more.

He wasn't sure why Steph caught his attention the way she did. It might have had something to do with the way she filled a little black dress, or the way she looked without it. Though, he'd known a lot of women, many of whom looked good in a little black dress, and they'd never burrowed under his skin like she had.

Too bad she was in Hawaii with that idiot boyfriend of hers.

Joe Morelli. How that guy had managed to keep her all this time was a mystery. If their relationship had been healthy, it would have been easy to let him have her. Well. Maybe not easy. But it would have been some consolation if she was happy. Trouble was, their relationship was a little self destructive. Steph and Morelli broke up so often that sometimes it was hard to keep track. And like all destructive cycles, they inevitably got back together, making her pull away even more.

It was frustrating as hell sometimes.

He fought the urge for a few minutes, but eventually temptation won out and he called up her GPS signal on his den computer. Her plane had landed an hour ago. He knew that because he'd tracked the flight until it was on the ground. Wanted to make sure she was safe. Her marker popped up on his system and he almost smiled. There she was. The bane of his existence. The girl that was both a pain in the ass and worth the trouble all at the same time.

His phone rang. That wasn't unusual this late. Rangeman was a 24/7 business, and the most urgent problems usually happened at night. With any luck it would be Tank telling him something was on fire. Anything to get him out of this fucking paperwork. He pulled his cell out of his pocket and looked at the image on his screen.

Steph.

Even better.

No clue why she would be calling him from Hawaii, though. She'd chosen Morelli. Again. Morelli was a good cop, but he wasn't the most understanding of guys. Especially when it came to sharing Stephanie. That made it unlikely this was a social call.

He answered the phone, unable to keep the surprise out of his voice. "Babe."

She didn't answer right away. Lost in thought, he imagined. It was kind of endearing. Steph was brave and sexy, but she could be a little flighty. Might have seen something shiny. He looked at her GPS signal again. She wasn't at the airport anymore. Wasn't at her hotel either. In fact, her signal seemed to be sitting in front of a five star resort. Strange. Even for her.

"Babe? Is something up or are you just checking in? The hotel you're sitting in front of isn't the one you're supposed to have reservations for."

"How did you know where I was sitting?"

He couldn't help the pull at the corner of his mouth. Usually, his life was dark. High stress. High stakes. But Steph had this surprising way of cutting through it all. It was one of the reasons he loved her. "Babe, you still have my GPS unit in your bag. They call it a Global Positioning System for a reason."

"You're tracking my bag?"

"You didn't know?"

It couldn't really have surprised her. Rangeman tracked her all the time. She might not always know where the GPS was, or what it looked like, but she carried them around with her often enough that she had to realize it would always be there.

Sure, tracking both her bag and her car was probably overkill. At least, it would have been for anyone else. But Steph had this bizarre talent for finding trouble when she wasn't looking for it. And given the fact that she had a dangerous job she wasn't particularly good at meant she was looking for trouble more often than not.

Keeping her on his radar screen was one of the few things he could do to make sure she didn't die young. Steph was smart and tenacious, but she was also stubborn. Not a particularly good listener. Had a penchant for stupid, harebrained ideas. And she was a lightning rod for freak accidents. While a lot of times her inexplicable luck made these harebrained schemes pay off for her, there were a lot of times when she would have died if he hadn't been able to find her. He always admired her resilience and her perseverance. It just scared the hell out of him when he didn't know where she was.

She'd been quiet for a while. Hard not to wonder what she was thinking. If she'd been in front of him it would have been easy to read her thoughts. Not everyone could do it, but he'd memorized her face well enough to be able to catch the smallest twitches of emotion there. Of course, if she had been in front of him, he might not have been reading her face at all. He'd be too busy stripping her down so that he could lay her across his bed and make her scream in that breathless way that made his blood hot. He smiled. "So, did you want something from me? Because I'm limited in what I can help you with from here."

He heard her swallow and smiled again. Right on target.

"Actually," she said, trying to sound unaffected. "I called because you'll never guess who I just saw walking through the airport. Tootie Ruguzzi. The Rug's wife."

That got his attention. Simon Ruguzzi was a mob hitman that had skipped bail a few years back. One of the high stakes bonds that made Vinnie wet himself when his bondee went Failure To Appear. Steph had been helping him track Ruguzzi. She might not be the best bounty hunter, but she had a talent for finding people who didn't want to be found. Not that it had helped in this case. The Rug and his wife hadn't left a trace behind. Like maybe they'd ended up in a shallow grave somewhere in the Pine Barrens. "You actually see The Rug?"

"No. Just Tootie, but I followed her out to the curb and saw her get onto a shuttle for the Honu Ku'ono Resort Hotel. I think its likely The Rug was inside. Problem is, I can't get in to search for him on my own. And even if I could, I'm all the way in Honolulu."

"And you're not authorized for extradition."

"Exactly."

Sounded reasonable. Though, it wasn't lost on him that she could have just as easily called Vinnie. He was her cousin, after all, and the owner of the bail bonds office that had issued the bond in the first place. And while Vinnie was a disgusting little ferret of a human being, it wouldn't have caused as many problems for her given the fact she was there with her boyfriend. Things might get uncomfortable with both her boyfriend and the guy she's been screwing being on the same island.

"What about Morelli?" he asked. "How's he feel about me crashing your romantic vacation?"

This time, the silence was loaded. He could practically hear her worrying a hole into her bottom lip from the other end of the line. Not sure if she was breathing either. A few very specific things slid into place. "Babe?"

"He couldn't get away from work. He sort of stayed behind."

And there it was. The real reason she'd called him instead of Vinnie. Stephanie Plum had found herself on a romantic Hawaiian vacation all alone, and when the choice came down to calling in either her sexually degenerate cousin or her former special forces mentor, she picked the one she'd been sleeping with.

Ranger felt the grin lift his mouth and knew there was a lot of triumph in it. "So Morelli made you go to Oahu all by yourself and now you want me to come join you?"

"It's not like that. This is business."

"Of course it is," he said, switching to his Bluetooth so that his hands were free. He had a couple associates in Honolulu. Stephanie was probably safe enough by herself, but Ranger hadn't gotten this far in life on probably. He sent a quick text. "If any other woman had made this call, I would have assumed she was making up the sighting to get me on the island. But with you, it's not the least bit surprising you could take a vacation and stumble across the trail of a high bond FTA we assumed was dead. I suppose it's better to be lucky than good any day."

He knew the dig would rub her the wrong way. No doubt she was making that adorable face she always made when he'd said something to annoy her. Truth was, she wasn't as bad at the job as she seemed to think. Sure, she could be a little Calamity Jane at times. And she didn't have a lot of fighting experience. Pretty much refused to use the gun he'd given her. But she did have quite a few skills that made her an effective bounty hunter. And she was scrappy. She might have been more successful if she partnered with someone other than Lula, but Lula was the one she always called, and as much as he wished otherwise, Steph seemed to be comfortable with that.

She made an exasperated noise on the other line. Cute. "So are you coming or what?"

"Babe, I'd have been on the next plane just hearing Morelli skipped out."

"There's more," she said while Ranger looked over his reply from Noah. "Turns out the resort they're staying at is doing this special retreat thing. Married couples only."

"This just gets better and better."

"Could you be serious please?"

"Babe, if I get any more serious there could be consequences." He tried not to think about that too much. Nothing good ever came from dwelling on possibility. Any more than it came from dwelling on the past.

He sent Noah Steph's coordinates and picture. Noah and his partner Rico had worked for him before, the last time he'd chased a skip to Hawaii. They were good guys. Creative. Dependable. They'd watch out for her until he could get there.

He checked out when the next flight left Newark for Honolulu. Shit. Not until 5am. At least he'd be able to grab a few hours of sleep, knowing Noah and Rico were on the job.

"All the flights for tonight have left already, but I could be on a plane first thing in the morning. Go to your hotel tonight, then check out tomorrow and meet me at the airport. I'll take care of everything else."

"I'm going to regret this, aren't I?"

He couldn't help but smile. "Maybe, but it'll be worth it."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Ranger made a few calls after he hung up with Steph, and then settled back into his desk chair to do some research on the resort. Steph had been right. The entire month was dedicated to a retreat for married couples. And only married couples. No rings, no reservations.

The Sanctuary for Marriage, featuring special guests and workshops from professional marriage counselors. The kind of things he'd never be caught dead doing. The resort was nice, though. Good amenities and decent security. And private cottages right on the beach, complete with a discrete yard and private hot tub.

Just the thought of getting Steph naked in that hot tub had him excited.

His phone buzzed. Tank. Gregorio must have arrived.

There were a lot of advantages to being tapped into society's underbelly. Easy access to street chatter, connections to various levels of dealers and lowlifes, and a running knowledge of who sold what, and to whom. The men on his payroll were an eclectic collection because of it. Equal parts retired military and reformed criminals. He employed safecrackers, master thieves, guys who'd served time for assault and armed robbery. Lots of raw, ripped muscles and prison tattoos. Most employers wouldn't give half these guys a chance, but Ranger had been able to find a place for each one. And the fact was, because his business operated on a fine line between legal and right, there were times it was useful to have men with unusual skills, who would do whatever he asked without question.

Gregorio was one of his subcontractors. He knew things most people didn't. He also had the ability to find things any time of the day or night. It made him a useful asset.

Ranger took the stairs down to the fifth floor. The control room was a hum of activity, like always. Most of his business operated on a constant, low level buzz. Background noise. Quiet surveillance and security monitoring. Every once in a while, though, the shit hit the fan and it was a mad scramble to do damage control.

Tank would be able to handle that if it happened. Tank had handled all sorts of crisis on the rare occasions Ranger had to be out of town. Not that he expected anything to happen.

A small smile tried to surface. Especially with Steph out of state.

Gregorio was waiting in Ranger's office when he opened his door. A softer man. Late forties. His thinning black hair slicked back in a comb over. He didn't say anything. Just nodded in greeting and pulled out a folded roll of black velvet. If he thought the request was odd at this time of night, he didn't comment. Not many people dared to question Ranger. They figured it wasn't good for their future employment. Or their health.

"I did what I could. The selection would have been better tomorrow morning."

Ranger gave an imperceptible nod in answer. His dark eyes wandered over the black velvet laid out across his desk. The selection was actually pretty decent, considering he'd asked Gregorio to scrape together what he could in under an hour. "I need a paper trail for this."

"Got it." The man's fingers moved over the desk like a pianist, removing the ones that had most likely been fenced. It cut down the selection even more, but not so much that it was impossible. "Wouldn't want to give her a ring that was stolen, right?"

Ranger cut his eyes to the man and he fell silent. They turned back to examining the rings.

There was plenty of truth to that observation. Ranger just didn't want to encourage further discussion about it. Fact was, Stephanie wouldn't appreciate wearing a hot ring, even if she didn't ask about it. She was an above board kind of girl. She'd bend the law on occasion, but she seldom broke it.

She didn't even like breaking generally held rules of morality. Which was the predominant reason she'd kept a barrier between them for so long. The chemistry was electric. Intoxicating. And she'd shied away every time he got too close because he wouldn't give her the kind of relationship she wanted.

Couldn't give her the kind of relationship she deserved.

He drew in a slow, deep breath and let it out silently. "This one," he said. The white gold band was pretty, carved with intricate details all the way around, with a large, clear diamond in the center of several smaller stones. It was a big rock. He could already see the look on her face. Somewhere between fascinated wonder and gaping awe.

More than that, there was something about the ring that reminded him of Stephanie. Bright. Shining. More complex and beautiful the closer you got.

"That's a good one," Gregorio said. "I picked it up from a jeweler myself on my way here, so I can guarantee its authenticity. There's even a matching black band, like you requested. Tungsten Carbide. It's expensive, though. Paper trails cost more."

"Done."

Gregorio hesitated a second. "Should I bill Rangeman? Or is this a personal expense?"

The man tried not to shift in his seat when Ranger's eyes fell on him.

Gregorio swallowed. "I'll just let your accountant sort that out."

o o o

There weren't a lot of hours before he had to catch his flight, but then Ranger had learned a long time ago how to operate well without a lot of sleep. Fifteen hours on a plane was another matter. He was used to it. Didn't mean he liked it.

He'd texted Stephanie with his flight number and arrival time. With any luck, she'd be waiting for him in the terminal.

It took him a moment, scanning through the mass, before he found her. God, she was beautiful. Unruly chocolate curls, expressive blue eyes. Dressed in a flowing white shirt and tank top and a flimsy red and white skirt that did nothing to hide the luscious curves of her body. He wanted to touch every part of her. Pull her clothes off and kiss her until she was soft and pliant. He'd meant to give her a gentle kiss in greeting, but the second he curled a hand around the back of her neck and pulled her against him he stopped caring that they were in a congested airport. She leaned into him, opening up enough that he could taste her. He wrapped an arm around her waist so he could hold her even closer.

"You taste like coconut," he said into her mouth.

She was still flustered, her fists curled into his shirt. "I had coconut for breakfast."

Ranger drew back enough to look into those bright blue eyes of hers, waiting for the other shoe. There was always another shoe with Stephanie. She gave in.

"Okay, it was coconut ice cream, but it had a waffle cone. That counts as breakfast."

Ranger fought a smile. "Babe."

She let go of his black linen shirt and smoothed it, her touch moving across his strong, washboard belly. He could see the rush in her eyes. The echo of a passion she was trying desperately to hide. She liked his body. Well, that was mutual. There had been times when he'd been near her and it hadn't been enough. He'd needed to touch her. A hand at the base of her neck. Her back against his chest. A kiss on her head or her ear or her neck. Even now, he couldn't help but caress her, skating his fingers along the nape of her neck with the same rapt attention he wanted to give to other parts of her. Her eyes fluttered like she was aroused, and then she sobered, putting a little distance between them. Right, crowded airport.

"We should get going," she said, her voice trembling so slightly that she might not have heard it herself. Ranger smiled. Most of the time, he didn't have a lot to smile about, but Steph had an incredible way of brightening his day. Sunshine incarnate.

He slung an arm around her shoulders and kissed her just above her ear, feeling gratified when her body temperature warmed. "We can get going whenever you want."

They started for the doors and Stephanie went rigid. Ranger looked down at her.

"Something wrong?"

"I know it's weird, but I'm pretty sure that guy by the luggage carousel is following me. I saw him when I was at the international market an hour ago."

Ranger looked up and saw Noah waiting for him. He would have been hard to miss. He was as tall as Tank, at least 6'5", with thick arms and a forbidding expression. It wasn't the look he usually wore. Game face. Hiding the snarky humor under his tough guy exterior. From the way she was staring at him, Steph bought it. She thought he was a threat. "I'd have been disappointed if you hadn't spotted him."

She turned and looked at Ranger through narrowed eyes. Her indignation was thin, though. Could be it was hard for her to really get mad at him. Could be she was relieved to know the big scary looking Hawaiian dude following her around wasn't there to hurt her. Either way it made him smile. "You had me followed?"

"Babe. You came to Honolulu by yourself. I texted Noah the second you told me Morelli was still in Trenton."

"Wow. Thank you for the vote of confidence."

He laughed. It didn't make any sound, but she must have felt it with the way he was holding her against his body, because he could see the way she frowned at him. "It's not a lack of confidence, Babe. Just a precaution."

"A precaution against what, exactly?"

"Hard to say. With you, just about anything is possible."

She elbowed him in his ribs and he laughed again. "So he's what? A bodyguard?"

"Local PI. He and his partner Rico work for Rangeman whenever business brings me to the islands."

She didn't seem any happier about that, but she let it go. Good thing, too. It wasn't likely her indignation would change anything. Her life was more important to him than a few stepped on toes.

Noah was standing at ease, watching them approach, his hands folded behind his back. He still wore his military posture, even after ten years as a civilian. It wasn't something that ever went away entirely. Serving changed people in a lot of different ways.

Some more than others.

Noah didn't so much as glance at Stephanie when they approached. He just handed Ranger a set of keys. "Everything you've requested is in the car. Rico saw to the additional items this morning while I was with Ms. Plum. If you need anything else, just call."

Ranger nodded. "Steph, give Noah your keys so he can return your rental car. We won't be needing it."

"Okay, but all my stuff is still in it. I have to go get it out."

"Already taken care of," Noah said, finally looking at her.

Steph raised an eyebrow at Ranger and held out her keys for Noah to take. They dropped into his open hand and he left without making further comment. Not that he hadn't wanted to. He just knew better. Steph stared at Ranger. "How did he move my things out of the trunk without the keys?"

Ranger looked down at her, a smile pulling at his mouth. "Noah has ways."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

A black Porsche Cayman S was waiting for them in the parking lot when he and Steph left the airport. A sporty little car, not much different from the 911 he drove in Trenton. The Cayman was a little more stylized by design. Molded headlights and a contoured body. More likely to draw attention. But given the way Steph was looking at it, that was a good thing.

"They didn't have a 911 Turbo?" she asked with an innocent smile.

Ranger glanced at her while he pulled the driver's side door open. "Are you sassing me?"

"Who, me?"

He grinned. There were a few cars in his personal fleet in Trenton. A Porsche Cayenne SUV, an F150 truck with a lot of customizations. The 911 Turbo. He used to drive a Mercedes, but there was something about the little Porsche sports cars that seemed to turn Stephanie on. And anything that turned Steph on was a good thing.

The lockbox was under the seat, just as he'd instructed. Put there by Rico when he'd delivered the car. Rico was a little out of step from the rest of his men. Hard to get him to wear the colors or take things seriously. But he always came through when it was needed.

Ranger opened the box and pulled out the 9mm Glock. He checked the clip and slid a round into the chamber, clicking on the safety before he tucked it into the small of his back. A cold pressure he'd gotten used to over the years. There was a small pistol in an ankle holster for him too, along with an army issue tactical knife. The knife was flush against his skin when he clipped it in front of his right hip. Invisible under the edge of his black short sleeved linen shirt. He looked down at the .45 Smith and Wesson revolver he'd requested for Stephanie, and then turned to her, his eyes scanning the flimsy shirt and white top. "I like this outfit, but it doesn't leave a lot of places to stash a weapon."

"When I got dressed this morning I didn't know I was going to have to accessorize."

"I always what you to accessorize," he said, holding out the gun for her.

She hesitated. Steph didn't like guns. As her mentor, Ranger had made sure she knew how to use one, and had enough practice and experience to be a decent shot. As her friend, he wished that she was comfortable enough to actually use it instead of hiding it away in the brown bear cookie jar she had in her kitchen. She didn't even keep bullets in it half the time. A fact that frustrated him to no end.

Steph grimaced and lifted the flap on her black messenger bag. The .45 vanished into the abyss. Ranger raised an eyebrow. "Not the most effective place to keep it. We might have to think about getting you a holster that straps to your inner thigh." There was a thought. He got a little hard when an image of reaching between her legs to pull out her gun flashed through his mind. "Could be fun," he said. He forced his eyes to hers again. "I also have cuffs and a stun gun for you, and some pepper spray. None of which are strictly legal for you to carry in this state, so it would be best if you didn't draw too much attention."

"Got it. Anything else?"

"Not now. I'm sure I'll have something else for you once we get to the hotel."

"If you were going for subtlety, you missed."

He turned his full attention to her. That hadn't been where he was going. He'd been thinking about the black velvet ring box in his pocket. But now that she mentioned it, there was something much more intimate that he wanted to give her. The fact that she was thinking about it too sharpened the impulse. He stalked toward her and she backed into the car. He could feel the lean line of her body when he pressed into her, her breasts against his chest. His hands found her waist, tracing gentle lines along her skin just under the edge of her tank top. It took a fair bit of control not to take her right there. His leg slipped between the part in her skirt to rub along her inner thigh, his mouth so near hers that there was only one breath between them. "You want me to be more subtle?"

She was watching his lips, struggling for composure in a way that made him want her even more. She liked to pretend that he didn't affect her. Steph had a lot of bravado, and she was good at using it most of the time. But he always saw through it. He fought a smile and leaned toward her, laying one quick kiss on her lips. Any more and he might have lost focus. "Get in the car."

It took her a second to move. As if he'd turned her knees to jelly. The smile won out.

He slid into the driver's seat and turned the engine over. The powerful hum moved through the car and Steph's breath shuddered like she might have an orgasm. He glanced at her. Damn. He might have to give Rico a bonus.

Ranger put the Cayman in gear and started for the resort. He had to fight the inclination to speed, and it wasn't just because the little sports car was fast. Stephanie was a fervent energy beside him. The heat from her body filling the intimate space just as thoroughly as the scent that was uniquely hers. And somewhere ahead of them was a big king sized bed in a quiet little cottage. His foot pressed into the gas.

Men in white pants and green and white shirts were moving around under the covered port when he swung the Cayman up to the hotel. One of them came up to his window. He gave the man some instruction and slipped him a fifty. The sudden eagerness was predictable.

He turned to Steph. She was watching the porter.

The velvet box was pressing against his thigh, a symbol inside it that usually carried a certain amount of weight. He could have just handed it to her. But he didn't want to. Instead, he pulled the box out of his pocket and opened it. Her eyes moved to him when he took her left hand from the console between them and slid the white gold and diamond wedding ring onto her finger.

He didn't wait for her reaction. Just pushed his door open and angled out of the Porsche. He shut his door. A warm breeze swept across the driveway. It was sobering, in its own way. Sometimes being near her put thoughts in his head. Thoughts he shouldn't have.

He watched the porter move Steph's suitcases and the one Noah had packed for him onto a rolling cart. The man nodded and dragged the cart up onto the curb toward the tall glass hotel doors.

Ranger took the black Tungsten band from the second box. He walked around to Stephanie's door and pulled it open. She was still staring with wide-eyed awe at the ring on her finger. She turned and gaped at him. "Are these real diamonds?"

Ranger tried not to smile. "Yes. So try not to lose it."

"This must have cost a fortune!"

"I know a guy," he said, tucking the other box back in his pocket. The ring was heavy when he slid it on his own finger.

He offered her a hand to lift her out of the car. Her fingers were pale against his bronze skin, her ring flaring in the sun. It was a stark contrast to his. Gleaming white over subtle black. And yet, there was something fitting about it. As if they really were designed as a set. He liked that in a way he couldn't quite explain.

Steph's eyes were fixed on the sparkling rock. It wasn't often Stephanie Plum was speechless. He lifted her hand to his mouth and laid a kiss to her skin just below the ring. He brushed his thumb across the stone to center it again. It fit her perfectly. "Pretty."

She nodded in a stunned sort of way.

He wrapped an arm around her waist and led her toward the glass front doors, and she followed his guidance without looking up once. If he'd known she could be this compliant, he might have given her something shiny a long time ago. He leaned over her and kissed her ear. "If you don't stop staring at that ring they're gonna to know you haven't been wearing it long."

"Maybe I haven't. We could be newlyweds. Or you could have just upgraded my ring because you got drunk with your friends and did something stupid."

"There's that sassing again. If you keep it up there might be repercussions."

"Like no dessert?"

"Like you're dessert."

The focus of silence moved from the ring to him, this time with a fair amount of heat that was only barely masked by her shy expression. A genuine smile spread across his face. She wanted him bad.

A squirrelly guy with short brown hair and a skeptical frown was standing behind the front desk. His pale brown eyes fixed on Stephanie. "You're back," he said, unable to hide his flat tone. Ranger didn't like it. It was just a hairsbreadth from disrespect.

And then the man's eyes moved to Ranger.

Not hard to tell what he was thinking. Ranger was all too aware of the first impression he gave. Just shy of six feet. Thick, muscular body with a soldier's carriage. The kind of physique that said I'll rip you in half if you look at me sideways. Even when he smiled, most people still took a step back. Watched him carefully. Like he was a savage beast that might turn on them at any second.

"We have reservations," he said to the concierge with his most charming smile. Not bothering to hide the feral nature behind his eyes. The concierge swallowed hard. "Carlos Manoso."

"Y—yes, of course," the man said, tapping away at his computer. He cut a glance at Steph. "And—"

"My wife, Stephanie."

Steph expelled a quick breath. He didn't look at her, as much as he wanted to. It might have been a laugh or a choke of surprise at the easy way he'd said it. She might have even found it a tad ironic. The concierge didn't seem to notice.

"Yes, of course. Mr. and Mrs. Manoso. I see you requested one of our private cottages." He tapped another few keys. "It doesn't look as though you've chosen to take advantage of any our Sanctuary for Marriage workshops. If you like, there are still several that have openings."

"No. That's not necessary," Ranger said. He'd rather be tortured by Columbian rebels again.

The man looked as though he was supposed to be more insistent, but was having trouble finding the words. Steph took pity on him. "My husband isn't really the feelings sharing type," she said. Ranger cut his eyes to her, hiding a smile. "But I'll look over the list. Maybe we could find something. Actually, I was hoping to get in the same ones with my friends Tootie and Simon. They were supposed to check in yesterday. I don't suppose you could sign us up for those, could you?"

The man couldn't entirely hide the grim set that took over his smile. "I'm sorry. As I told you yesterday, we have a very strict privacy policy. It's one of the reasons our clients choose us over other resorts. Comprehensive security. If your friend provided you with a list of activities she wanted you to join her in, I would be happy to do what I can to make room."

"Are you sure? I was hoping to surprise her."

"Unfortunately that's out of the question. But if you'd like to design an itinerary of your own, I'm sure you'll be happy with the services we provide."

"Great. Thanks."

He nodded and gestured toward the main lobby. "If you'll follow me."

He led the way through the lobby and into the resort, Steph frowning at his back. She leaned into Ranger. Her shoulder pressed into his chest. "I was really hoping it was going to be that easy."

Ranger only smiled. He was kind of counting on it not being that easy. If they caught The Rug too quickly, Ranger would have to transport him back to Jersey. Leaving Stephanie alone again. That didn't sound nearly as appealing as staying.

The concierge gave them a tour of the pools and the central bar that served them, along with the wide stretch of beach already populated by resort guests. Steph was listening carefully. Her eyes scanning the beach with the sharp intensity of a true hunter.

When Ranger first met Stephanie Plum, she'd been an unemployed lingerie buyer who'd decided to take on a brave new career in bounty hunting. Not exactly the lateral move most people make. It had been one of desperation on her part. A stopgap to keep from being homeless as well as carless. She'd lacked the tough as nails demeanor worn by most men in the profession. He'd only met with her as a favor to Connie, the bail bonds office manager. Turned out she was gutsy, though, considering the cold façade and street swagger he'd shown her. And she'd had more determination than he'd given her credit for. Persistent. Not to mention hot.

The moment she tried to put him in his place he decided to take her under his wing.

And it wasn't long after that that he'd wanted to take her under other things too.

Steph felt his eyes. "What?"

"You're cute when you're focused."

She rolled her eyes in a way that said 'just what every girl wants to hear'. "I don't see you being focused."

"I'll be focused later."

She rolled her eyes again, this time a tiny smile pulling at her lips. He had a fair idea what she was thinking. She knew firsthand how determinedly he could focus. It usually resulted in those breathless little screams.

They walked side by side along the beach several feet behind the concierge. He was droning on about the resorts finer points. Nothing Ranger hadn't learned already. Then he heard Stephanie laugh. It was a quick exhale, hardly any sound at all. He cut his eyes to her with a curious expression. She glanced at the man ahead of them to make sure he wouldn't hear and then leaned into him.

"You look like a contract killer failing to blend in."

This time he smiled.

Only Steph.

It was true that he was wearing all black, just like any other day. A choice that was both easy and good for his image. And he did have enough firepower hidden on his body that he'd be able to take down any target with minimal effort. But the loafers, slacks, and short sleeved linen shirt with subtly embroidered vertical lines weren't exactly the sort of thing real contract killers wore. Something he knew from personal experience.

"Pretty sure you're the only one thinking that, Babe."

"I can't be the _only_ one."

He shook his head, just a little. Smartass.

The cottages were tucked into a secluded cluster of trees and flowering plants just off the beach. They'd been designed with privacy in mind. Spaced further apart than some of the other cottages, with sheltered yards in the front and back to make it feel as though they were separate from each other as well as the rest of the resort.

Steph stared in wonder around the living room, taking it all in.

Her vibrant eyes found the open door to the bedroom for a second before she wandered toward the master bath. It had been a brief glimpse. Just enough the register the luggage and the bed. But it was enough to remind him that in just a few seconds they would be completely alone. Ranger slipped another fifty to the concierge to encourage him to leave and locked the door behind him.

"So, where do you want to start looking for Simon Ruguzzi?" she asked, checking out the master bath. Unaware of the carnivorous way he was watching her. "We obviously can't ask the front desk what room they're in."

Ranger let the slow pace of his steps drag out the anticipation. He lingered in the doorway. "Not sure it would help even if we tried. The Rug had a dozen aliases _before_ he spent three years in the wind. No telling what name he'd be using now."

She opened the French door that led out toward the private beach. The pacific rolled in soft waves onto the sand beyond her silhouette. He let his gaze slide down her back, the outline of her slender body visible through the flimsy clothes. "We might have to hang out in the public areas, then, and hope we come across them," she said, closing the door again. She went through the next one, between the tub and the shower. It led to the bedroom.

Just where he wanted her.

He stepped back and took the other door, the one that led in from the living room. Steph was standing by the suitcases at the foot of the king sized bed. Her eyes skated over it in a shy way and turned deliberately to the sliding glass doors that opened into the yard. She was nervous. Cute.

They didn't have a long sexual history. Not in the traditional sense, anyway. They'd spent one night together a couple years back, the culmination of months of tension and innuendo. He had expected resolution after. An ease to his need after he'd found his release. It hadn't worked out that way. In fact if anything, the need had gotten stronger once it had moved from desire to reality.

They'd been doing a dance of sorts ever since. Trying to find a balance between his raw physical urges and her delicate sensibilities. And then recently, the stars had aligned a second time and she'd let the barrier fall. He thought the window had closed again when he realized she'd invited Morelli to the islands. She and Morelli weren't exclusive at the moment, but Steph was never the kind of girl to sleep with more than one man at a time.

Now that he was here, he didn't have any intention of letting the opportunity slip by.

He walked toward her slowly, his shoes making no sound on the hardwood floor. Her breathing quickened anyway. As if she was so aware of his body that she could sense him wherever he stood. "Actually," he said, pausing at the bedside table. She was watching him from the corner of her eye. "I was thinking we should start somewhere else. Like the hot tub." He pulled the heavy ring off his finger and set it on the tabletop. "The Ruguzzis aren't going anywhere tonight."

She considered that. Clearly tempted. "I'd have to get my swimsuit out of my bag."

"Or not."

"Cute," she said. It took her a second to realize he wasn't joking. "It's outside. Anyone could see!"

"No one can see. It has complete and total privacy." Something he'd made sure of. No matter the price. He stalked toward her and felt a shiver run down the length of her body when he came flush against her back. There was no space left between them and it still wasn't enough. He lowered his mouth to her ear. "Assuming you're not too loud."

She was turning soft, melting into him. "We don't have time. We need to check out the restaurants before we go to dinner."

A grin lit his face. He brushed his fingers along her waist and let them trace over her ribs and up the sides of her breasts, grasping the collar of her flowing overshirt so that he could peel it away from her shoulders. He breathed her in, laying a kiss over her clavicle as he dropped the shirt to the floor. "Or we could stay in and order room service."

He knew it wasn't fair to use her temptations against her. But then it was never really in his nature to play fair. He'd learned a lot about Stephanie Plum over the last few years. Room service was one of her favorite things. Right up there with sex and birthday cake. He kissed the pulse point in her neck, lingering there as he untied the knot that was holding her skirt around her hips. One motion and it would float to the floor, leaving her bare.

"I'm not sure if that's a good idea," she breathed. Her head rolled back onto his shoulder of its own accord, opening her up even more. She let out a sigh.

He brushed his smile across the top of her shoulder and up her neck. Lingering at her ear. "We could see if they have birthday cake."

And then the rest of her walls came crumbling down.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Sun was already streaming in through the window when he woke the next morning, folded around a soft, warm body he knew all too well. He'd poured over every inch of her last night. In the bed. And the Jacuzzi. The kitchen, where he'd fed her cake and wrapped her legs around his waist until she cried out in relief. By the time they fell asleep they were exhausted, and the sharp hunger for her had finally dulled.

She drew in a deep breath and let it out in a silent, contented sigh. It hadn't taken long last night for the last of her reticence to melt and burn away. Stephanie was a good girl. For the most part. But the deeper he delved the more he realized the animal instinct inside her. Beneath the good girl, Steph was reckless and insatiable. And just a little bit bad in the best possible ways.

The hunger sharpened again.

Ranger pulled her toward him and nestled her into his side, kissing her shoulder. Her eyes met his. Pools of liquid sky. They fluttered closed when his lips caressed her skin. "Morning," he said, enjoying the way her body warmed.

"Morning," she answered. A satisfied smile pulled at the corners of her mouth no matter how she tried to hide it. It was endearing that even after the wild abandon she'd shown last night, she could still be shy. He kissed her collarbone, and then her throat, and she let out a sigh that made him stir. "What time is it?"

"Late."

"How late?"

He didn't answer. He was busy following a line across her jaw, heading toward her mouth.

She twisted in his arms so that she could look at the clock on her bedside table. "Oh crap."

"What now?"

"It's after 10."

"Understandable. You're fighting a six hour time change, and we didn't get a lot of sleep last night," he said, leaning over her. She'd rolled onto her back to look at the clock. He liked it when she was on her back. He brushed the tip of his nose up the length of her neck, feeling her soft skin with his lips.

"But we missed breakfast," she said.

"So we'll order in."

"That's not what I mean." She seemed to be having trouble holding onto her thoughts. It was a testament to how he affected her when Stephanie Plum turned mushy and inarticulate. He let his hands wander over her. She was silky and soft. Incredibly sexy. He wanted to bury himself deep inside her again, but she started to squirm away. He could have caught her and dragged her back, kissed her until she forgot whatever point she was trying to make. But he didn't. He just watched her pale, naked body slide out of the bed, every inch of her exposed.

She picked up the first article of clothing she could find and started to put it on. His black linen shirt. If she thought covering that beautiful body of hers was going to help his focus, she shouldn't have chosen to wear his clothes. The black was stark against her white skin. Highlighting just how flawless and smooth it was. And the way she was buttoning it. She must have thought that closing it over her belly would hide all the best parts of her, but he could still see the contours of her nipples through the linen, her breasts half exposed through the deep V that hung open nearly to her belly button. Her legs were long and slim under the hem of his shirt. Like Venus rising from the sea.

"We should be canvassing the public areas looking for the Ruguzzis," she said, trying to ignore the lazy way his eyes were caressing her. "They're here somewhere right under our noses. They could be next door and we'd never know it because we haven't left the room." A small smile pulled at his mouth, humor shining in his eyes. She flapped her arms to her sides in frustration. "Aren't you going to help me?"

The grin widened. "I helped you several times last night, but I'm willing to give it another shot."

"I'm being serious!"

"So am I."

She was working up steam. Ranger reached toward her and snatched her hand out of the air so that he could drag her back down onto the bed. She yelped in surprise. Her back hit the mattress and he landed on top of her to cover her with his body. Her clear eyes stared up at him as they warmed, his face an inch from hers. She wanted to object out of principal. He could see it. But he could also see just how much she liked the feel of him laying on top of her, his weight pressing her into the bed.

"Steph," he said, holding her gaze. "I've never had you all to myself before. No client meetings to get in the way, no emergencies or death threats. And I don't have to share you with Lula or your grandmother or Morelli."

A touch of unconscious guilt flashed across her face and he regretted mentioning Morelli. He kissed under her jaw to distract her, and then her throat and her collar, making a slow trail down her exposed breastbone, unbuttoning as he went until he could lay the shirt open. "We'll find Ruguzzi. He checked in only a day before we did and I don't see him checking out for at least a few days. That gives us time to get a lead on their itinerary. Then we can take him down when we're ready." His lips caressed her stomach. "Does that sound agreeable?"

An eager sigh eased out of her in answer. One of the best sounds in the world. He stripped the shirt from her and threw it over his shoulder, letting it fall forgotten to the floor.

o o o

Steph was a glowing puddle of ecstasy when he left her lying on the bed, half covered in sweaty sheets like an afterthought. Further evidence of a job well done. From the way her arms were dangling over the side of the bed, he would bet anything that the only reason she would get up now would be if there was food involved.

He called in for room service and went to take a shower.

He set the familiar, pale green bottle of shower gel on the ledge before he turned on the tap. It had been one of the few items he mentioned specifically when he sent Noah the list of things he'd need. Not that he loved it or anything. He'd never been the kind of guy to notice or care what he smelled like. But Steph liked it. He would have known that even if she'd never said it out loud. She breathed more deeply around him since he started using it. Lingered against him just a little longer each time before she pulled away. And then when she leaned into him not long ago, her lips brushing his ear as she whispered how sexy he smelled, he'd pulled off her clothes and carried her into his bedroom and pick up the carnal intensity right where they'd left it that first night.

Ranger suppressed a laugh. She'd tried to put the blame on some spell put on her by Morelli's crazy grandmother. It was supposedly meant to heighten her sex drive and make her behave badly. Really, it had just been an excuse. Things had been brewing between them for a long time. And truth is, Steph doesn't need much of an excuse to behave badly. It's in her nature.

Yet another one of those things he loved about her.

He shut off the tap and reached for a towel, rubbing it through his hair to dry it. Steph's voice filtered in through the closed door. She was on the phone. Sounded like she was talking to her grandmother. Which was probably where Steph had inherited her wild impulses in the first place.

Steph came from a long line of scary women. Her mother was fierce in a quiet housewife kind of way. Insistent and unrelenting. Like all good catholic mothers, her primary focus in life was to see her daughters married and settled, popping out grandkids for her to spoil. So far, Stephanie hadn't met this goal. Most of the time it didn't seem like getting married was very important to her. It was in her life plan, though. When she was ready. Which was why she'd kept Ranger at arm's length for so long.

Marriage defiantly wasn't in his life plan. In fact, emotional relationships of any kind were off the table. He could give her satisfaction. He could look after her and keep her safe. He could care for her and love her. But he wasn't really capable of much beyond that. Probably never would be.

That's why it would never work between them. Not for long, anyway. As free spirited as Stephanie was, she was never going to be comfortable jumping out of an airplane without a parachute.

She didn't hear him when he opened the door, leaning against the doorframe to watch her. She had put on one the fluffy white hotel robes. Though the way she was sitting on the end of the bed with one leg tucked under her made it ride up on her thighs, giving him an almost glimpse of his favorite part of her. There were stress lines where her eyebrows met. A cute little wrinkle to her nose. She wasn't enjoying the conversation.

"It's fine. I live all alone in my apartment in Trenton. This won't be any different," she said to the phone.

Must have told her granny about Morelli cutting out to do his cop thing. You can't blame a guy for having a strong work ethic, but there's a line any rational red-blooded man would draw when it came to passing on an island vacation with a woman like Stephanie.

Morelli really was an idiot.

Steph listened a second and almost frowned. "Meeting a hottie isn't in my plan, but I'll let you know if one turns up. I really just called to tell you that I changed hotels. I got a special deal for the Konu Ku'ono Resort. It's this really great cottage right on the beach."

She'd entirely glossed over the fact that she wasn't alone in that cottage. Interesting. Steph's granny was the type to watch pay-per-view porn, and usually had a look when he was around like she was picturing him naked. He couldn't imagine why Steph would be holding back.

She hurried her granny off the phone and looked up to find him standing in the doorway.

"I take it you didn't tell your grandmother I was here."

She shrugged. "I knew she'd tell my mom and then it would turn into a big thing. My mom has only barely accepted Morelli in my life, and that's mostly because she tells herself we're almost married. I don't think it would go over well to tell her I was shacking up with you in Hawaii."

He fought a smile. He kind of liked the sound of that. Shacking up with Stephanie would come with some serious perks.

"Did you tell Vinnie and Connie you were headed out of town?" she asked him.

"I left a message."

"I should probably call the office too and check in."

He nodded and hung the towel over the bar in the bathroom. "Give Lula and Connie my love," he said and headed into the other room where she'd left the room service tray sitting on the kitchen counter. He lifted the lid, picked up half a whole wheat bagel and spread some of the smoked salmon over it. Then he felt her eyes. When he turned back to the bedroom door, Steph was leaning at an awkward angle so that she could watch him walking around without any clothes on. Their eyes held for a moment and she turned back to the phone with a coy smile. Busted. Ranger laughed quietly. Yeah, she definitely liked his body.

He took his time making coffee while Steph talked. He didn't need to be party to the conversation she would have with the other women from the bonds office, especially since he had a fairly good idea of how it would go. Every time he walked into the office, Lula and Connie would go deadly still, their eyes scanning him thoroughly before they turned with meaning onto Stephanie. It was no secret that there was something between them. Something that he was sure was discussed in his absence, probably in graphic detail.

He put a lot of cream in one of the mugs for Stephanie and poured out some coffee. He waited until her voice fell quiet before he went back to the bed with two mugs and the rest of the bowl of fruit. Steph was sitting on her side of the bed, a number of pamphlets and brochures spread across her lap.

He set the bowl down and held out the pale coffee for her. She accepted it with a grateful smile. A flare of light caught in her ring. It was still circling her finger. Ranger had taken his off as soon as there was no one around to see it last night. But not Stephanie.

"You're still wearing the ring."

He could see a hint of chagrin in her smile. She looked down at the big diamond and gave her fingers a playful wiggle to catch the light. "What? It's pretty."

He couldn't help but be amused by that. The rings might have been for show, but a little part of him was glad she liked it. He'd been right about it suiting her.

He set his coffee down on his bedside table and sat on the bed. Forked a piece of pineapple and fed it to her before he lounged back beside her, taking one for himself. He glanced at the workshop brochures over her shoulder. "Find anything promising?"

"Not yet. I was hoping there might be a something that jumped out at me. It would be so much easier if there was an obvious choice for someone like The Rug. You know, like _Marriage for Murderers_ or _Analysis for Assassins_." Ranger looked at her, the ghost of laughter in his eyes. " _Healing for Hitmen?"_

"Got anymore?"

" _Bonding for Bad Guys."_

"You can do better."

She thought for a second. " _Contract Killer Karma Sutra?_ "

"I might be willing to go to that one."

He fed her a piece of cantaloupe and took the brochure from her lap, pretending to look it over. She was making notes in the main hotel schedule. He didn't need to look at it. He'd pretty much memorized it while he was doing his own research back in Trenton. There would be a few events that were likely to provide opportunity for contact, but he wasn't nearly ready to give this up yet.

He'd known Steph for two year before they'd had the one night together. And it had taken another two years for her to fall into his bed again. He had every intention of keeping her as long as he could this time before the window closed. Because after being this close to her, waiting another two years to have her again didn't sound the least bit appealing.

The hem of the robe was riding high on her leg, exposing her long white stems. He traced a gentle finger across her skin. Couldn't help it. Her attention faltered, but she didn't respond. He touched her again, deliberately trying to arouse her. This time it was clear that she was ignoring him, the slightest of smiles pulling at the corner of her mouth. She was playing with him.

He tossed the pamphlet aside and pulled at the shoulder of her robe so that he could kiss her bare skin, knowing that the movement would loosen the hastily tied belt that was keeping it shut.

"I was thinking we should go to the beach today," she said as nonchalantly as if he hadn't been touching her. "Maybe walk the main building before we check out the restaurants."

So, she wanted him to work for it. Alright. He was game. He slid his hand into the gap in the front of her robe. Her breast was soft as silk, and just large enough to cup in his hand. He ran his thumb across her nipple and felt it tighten. "And was thinking we should check out the private spa again."

She considered that, responding when he caressed her other breast. She liked the spa. It seemed to have a positive effect on her, too. Loosened her up and eased away any reluctance she might have felt about their physical relationship. She had a tendency to get tied in knots over it. Even when Morelli wasn't part of the equation.

It was best to keep Steph relaxed.

"How about we check out the spa again after dinner?" she said at last.

The corner of his mouth lifted. Gaining ground. He caught the edge of her ear with his teeth. "How about both before and after dinner. And maybe during."

This time she turned to look at him. When she saw that he wasn't joking she narrowed her eyes in her best attempt at a stern expression. "The beach. Then the spa. And then you take me to dinner. With desert."

"Is that your counter offer?"

"Final offer."

"I could bring out my ruthless negotiating skills," he said, caressing lower inside the robe. She drew in a quick breath in response. It was exactly what he'd been going for. He teased her sensitive skin and she shuddered. This game was fun.

She gave him a shove and pressed his back against the bed, pinning him there. Her robe fell open in the effort. Nothing but skin between them. His body reacted in a predictable way. She seemed amazingly unaware of just how much power she had over him.

"I have negotiating skills too, you know," she said with a husky voice. He stiffened.

"If this is your opening move, it'll be a short negotiation."

"Try me."

He searched her face, memorizing the way her eyes shone bright when she knew she could get the better of him. The balance between them had always been delicate. It was more rewarding than he had expected to see her guard come down completely.

"Alright. You win," he said. "And to show you what a good guy I am, I'll even help you shower."

"Wow. That's very generous of you. That's a real sacrifice."

"What can I say? I'm a generous guy," he said, rising up enough to kiss her.

o o o

He'd taken his time getting her ready, but the happy grin she wore made it well worth the effort. After the shower, he had applied sunscreen to her himself, massaging it into her delicate skin even in places that weren't likely to see the sun. She was practically panting by the time he'd finished. Leading to another round on the bed before she gathered herself up and went to get dressed.

Ranger went to his suitcase and pulled out the black board shorts and a shirt. He hadn't been specific when he'd given Noah instructions on most of his clothes. Black and non-descript. That was what the email said. Clothes that weren't likely to stand out. Noah's interpretation had been to give him black Hawaiian shirts. The printed patterns were black, too. The subtle outline of ferns or flowers or blocked lines filled with detail. Not nearly as bright or garish as what the other men would be wearing, but it would fit in well on the beach.

Ranger picked up his ring from the bedside table and slipped in back on his finger.

Steph stepped out of the bathroom and his eyes slid down her body. She was wearing a little red bikini, lightly covered by a black and red wrap tied over her waist to show the entire length of one leg. Her unruly brown curls fell in soft waves around her shoulders. Reminding him of the way they tumbled over the edge of the bed. He had the sudden urge to throw her down on it again, but if he did that they might never make it to the beach.

He held the door open for her and let her step past him before he followed her down to the shoreline. Slipped his hand around hers so that he could feel at least some part of her. She looked down at their joined hands and he caught a tiny smile.

The resort's public beach was crowded, but they were able to find a pair of reclining beach chairs back by the main bar. That was better anyway. Not as good as having his back to a wall, but it gave him a decent line of sight. He settled back on the chair with an arm stretched behind his head, dark sunglasses hiding his eyes.

A waiter in all white came by and Ranger ordered a Corona and a blended house cocktail for Stephanie. Only one shot of rum. Steph was a light weight when it came to drinking. There was a fine line for her between relaxed and bombed. Two glasses of wine and she was ready to get naked. Three and she was much more likely to pass out instead.

He reclined back on his chair and scanned the beach. Most people were lounging on their own chairs, or laid out on beach blankets taking full advantage of the sun. Others were playing in the surf like teenagers. Something they probably hadn't done in years. Without children to shepherd, there was a general sigh of relief to the atmosphere. Husbands and wives who had nothing to focus on but the island and each other.

The waiter came back with Ranger's beer and a pineapple with a little red umbrella in it. Steph made a cute gasping sound when she saw the umbrella. Like it had made her day. Ranger and the waiter both smiled. Sometimes Steph was easy to please.

Ranger only took a few sips of his beer before he set it on the short table between them. He'd mostly ordered it for show. A prop to add to his relaxed demeanor. As much as he wished this was just an ordinary vacation, he was all too aware that they were still working, and he never drank when he was working. In fact, he didn't drink much when he wasn't working, either. Not anymore. There were years of hard living in his past. Years when he'd lacked the control and discipline he had now. He had no intention of repeating them.

The straw gurgled at the bottom of Steph's pineapple. He looked over at her with a raised eyebrow. That was fast. She already looked more relaxed, a slight glow warming her cheeks. He smiled. "Want another one?"

"If I have another one, I'll forget why we're out here."

"You mean when we could be naked in our bed?"

It was meant to be a gentle suggestion, just enough to put ideas in her head, but he saw it when a shadow crossed her face. And then a dark panic shone behind her eyes. It had happened so fast. And just like that, her guard was back up. Shit.

He leaned forward an inch, but she didn't meet his eye. "Steph? Are you alright? You look like you just swallowed the top of that pineapple."

Her throat moved involuntarily. Like she was trying to dislodge whatever it was that had stuck in her throat. It took her a second to answer. And in that second, she'd started to look a little queasy. "I'm fine."

"You don't look fine. I haven't seen that much panic on your face since you almost hyperventilated at the idea of sleeping with me for the first time."

"That was because you were talking about handcuffs."

"It wasn't just the handcuffs."

She shifted awkwardly under his searching gaze. Picked up his beer like an unconscious thought and took a generous gulp. Looked like she regretted it. Then took another drink anyway. Ranger set his left hand on her thigh, hoping to calm her, his palm brushing her bare skin through the gap in her wrap skirt. She cut her eyes down at it and swallowed again. Usually a buzzed Stephanie was flirty. This was something else.

She drew in a deep breath and her swirling thoughts seemed to get the better of her. "Why do you have something against marriage?"

He glanced down at the hand he still had on her thigh, his dark wedding ring resting against her fair skin. Of course. He should have seen this coming. The anticipation and relief of being back in her bed had been so marked that he hadn't considered anything else. Like what playing marriage might mean to someone who actually wanted to have one someday.

He measured his answer, watching her staring at the horizon so she wouldn't have to look at him. "I don't," he said at last.

"You have to. What's with all this never getting married stuff unless you have something against it?"

"I don't have a problem with the institution. I just don't see it as a personal option."

"Why?"

"I've told you why."

"No you haven't. Not really. You've said you don't plan on marrying. You said you're not family material because you carry guns and a knife. You said you don't have the kind of lifestyle that allows for relationships, but the truth is lots of people carry guns and your lifestyle has changed since then."

"Not enough."

"What's enough?"

He didn't answer right away. Just kept watching her while she stared at the shoreline. He lowered his voice. "This isn't the time or place to discuss it."

"Is there a time or place to discuss it?"

It was a fair question. Too bad it didn't have a fair answer. He watched her a moment more before he turned his eyes to the shoreline too. "Probably not."

She tried to hide how sad that made her, but he saw it anyway. She took a long pull on his beer and held it out for him, forcing him to lift his hand off her leg to take it. "I'm gonna get in the water for a little bit. You coming?"

"No. I'm good."

She stood and kicked off her flip flops, untying the knot at her waist so that the black and red wrap floated down into her chair. He watched the slender outline of her body, barely covered by the red bikini, until she'd padded down the beach and vanished into the water.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

He watched Stephanie bobbing around in the water for a long time from his seat on the lounge chair, the Corona still in his hand. She was probably out there talking herself in circles. That was one of the problems with Stephanie. She had a tendency to over think things. Had trouble living in the moment without worrying what it might mean for the future.

That was a life skill Ranger had learned the hard way over the years.

It wasn't that he never thought about marriage. And he'd be lying if he said the idea didn't have a certain appeal sometimes. He and Stephanie had shared living space before, mostly in his apartment on the top floor of the Rangeman building. It was usually for no more than a few days at a time. And there hadn't been any sex involved, much to his disappointment. Despite that, he'd actually enjoyed having her around. She could get a little crazy sometimes from being on lockdown when she was in danger, and she could push his buttons and try his patience in ways that were both frustrating and endearing. But he'd always found, at the end of a long and difficult day, that there was something nice about coming home knowing she would be there.

That wasn't something he'd ever thought possible. He'd always lived a solitary lifestyle. He had a network of people who worked for him. People he relied on to do the day to day things he didn't have the time or inclination to do. But he didn't have a lot of people he trusted. And yet, for reasons he didn't fully understand, he trusted Stephanie Plum. Almost from the beginning.

Of course he noticed the first day he met her that she was hot. Sexy in a spunky sort of way. But she'd also been a good catholic girl. Not the kind you mess around with. And from what he could tell at the time, she wasn't the messing around type anyway. No boyfriends. Didn't date. Definitely didn't engage in no-strings-attached sex with bounty hunting mercenaries.

She eventually got a little thing going with Morelli, which made sense given their history. They'd grown up together. Lost her virginity to him when they were in high school. Not that it had been love or anything. Based on his reputation, Morelli had nailed every girl in Trenton by the time he was twenty.

After a few months of sleeping together without any real commitment, she'd ended up dumping his ass. And that had put Ranger in a difficult position. Until that moment, he'd been pretty good at convincing himself that Steph was off limits. She'd been a temptation, sure. There were times, like when they'd sat together for hours on stakeouts, or when she'd have the audacity to be a smartass to him when everyone else was too afraid, that it was sometimes hard to control his thoughts.

Knowing there was suddenly a vacancy in her bed had been more temptation than he could ignore. Especially when he realized the attraction was mutual.

The temptation didn't go away when she got back with Morelli. Or when they found themselves sort of engaged after a hormone induced proposal in front of Mama Morelli and the crazy grandmother. If anything, knowing Steph could have a future was someone else and still wanted to sleep with him was even better than the possibility of having her for himself. If she had been willing to act of her desires, he would have fallen into that role in a heartbeat.

At least, that's what he thought. When the moment finally came, it had been far more powerful than either of them expected. The release hadn't been all physical. There'd been something deeper. Something scary. He'd pulled back like a man burned. Pushed her toward Morelli again because he knew no good would come of it. He couldn't change who he was or what he'd done. And she deserved better than a casual affair with a man who couldn't give her a real relationship.

Too little too late, it turns out. He hadn't realized it right away, but after that night something changed between them. It wasn't until later that he realized how attached he'd gotten. To the point where the only word he could use to fit how he felt about her was love.

He didn't know how Steph felt about him beyond the physical attraction. She'd never said out loud and he wasn't about to ask her. Didn't really want to know. It would complicate things if her feelings ran as deep as his.

Steph loved Morelli. He might be an ass sometimes, but he was a good guy who loved her. He didn't always understand her. Wanted her to settle down and stop chasing shadows, something she wasn't in any way ready to do. Might never be ready to do. But at least he had potential to be what she needed.

If Steph was ever unlucky enough to fall in love with Ranger, it wasn't likely to have a happy ending. As much as he might wish otherwise sometimes. He lived a solitary life. Kept his own counsel. It would have just been cruel if he tried to add a wife and a family.

Steph ducked under the water and popped back up again, waving to him. He smiled. She really was incredible. How she could brighten his mood with so little effort was something he'd never figure out.

She padded back up the beach across the hot sand and flopped down into her chair, the sun glinting off the drops of water and flecks of sand that clung to her legs. "Feel better?" he asked her.

"Maybe. Might want another pineapple."

A grin lifted his mouth. "You want to drink it here or take it home?"

She hesitated a second, the shadow fluttering across her face again. She steadied herself and tried to move on. "Home," she said at last.

Ranger stood and walked several feet to the central bar to order her another drink. He turned to watch her while he waited. Her head was leaned back against the chair, her body soaking up the sun. He knew she'd be scanning the beach. Watching for some sign of their quarry. It made him proud.

When the bartender gave him the pineapple, he looked down at the little umbrella and almost smiled. "Put another umbrella in there. She thinks they're cute."

The bartender grinned.

Steph looked ready to go when he got back to her. He gave her the pineapple and picked up her things from the sand. He fit her sandals on her feet and offered her a hand to help her up. He tied the wrap around her himself so that he could touch parts of her without drawing too much attention. It didn't satisfy him as much as he had hoped.

She turned to leave and he pulled her back, dragging her up against him. He kissed her before she had a chance to object and was gratified when she melted into him. He slid a hand over her ass and held her tight to his body, tasting her until she lost her breath and the walls came down again.

"Ready," he asked her. She gave him a numb nod. She was ready alright. A crooked grin lifted his mouth and he kissed her just once more, slinging an arm around her neck when they started for the cottage.

They rinsed off most of the beach sand with the outdoor shower on the lanai at the back of their cottage and headed inside. Ranger set his gun on his bedside table. His ring next to his gun.

They settled into the warm, bubbling water and he could see Steph melt. Only one thing relaxed Steph more than a soak in the spa. Well, two if you counted birthday cake. He caught her hand under the water and floated her toward him. She settled easily between his knees, her back against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her and brushed a kiss to her temple.

She took another sip from her drink and settled into him even more. She let out a sigh. "I think this pineapple is getting me a little drunk."

He laughed. "It doesn't take a lot, in my experience."

"Would it take a lot to get you drunk?"

"Used to."

Steph took another sip and let her head roll back onto his shoulder. Her dark curls were nearly black on his bronze skin, twisting in waves along his chest. She smelled like fruit and rum. He had a feeling if she drank the rest of that pineapple, she'd end up more than just a little drunk. He kissed her forehead and relaxed around her. Enjoying the feel of her body rubbing against his under the water.

"I don't think I've ever seen you relax this much," she said. "You're usually so busy."

"I'll admit I don't get a lot of downtime these days. Mostly just when I'm with you."

"Are you saying you spend all your downtime with me?"

"When I can."

"So what does that make me? You're favorite form of entertainment?"

He nestled her tighter against him, his mouth grazing her jaw line. "You are pretty entertaining. And not just for me. You've got a smart mouth and things tend to catch fire and explode around you. Every man in my organization finds you entertaining."

"Great."

He laughed. "Babe. That's not the only reason I like to spend time with you."

"Then why?"

"I have to tell you?"

"Maybe."

He considered that a second, and then he lifted the drink out of her hands and set it on the decking outside the hot tub. It wasn't possible for her not to know how he felt. He'd told her he loved her enough times. But knowing and understanding were apparently two different things. And talking about it wasn't likely to help anything. He traced his lips down the side of her face and onto her neck, leading out toward her shoulder, his clever hands searching her body for the ties on her bikini. "It's easier to show you."

"So this is about sex?" she asked, her words getting inarticulate. Given what he was touching, it wasn't likely it was just from the drinks.

He lifted her bikini top out of the water and tossed it out onto the decking. "It's about more than sex."

"Like what?"

He untied her bikini bottoms too and dropped them onto the deck next to her top, leaving her completely naked. "Babe," he said in her ear. "We could have a deep, meaningful conversation about feelings that might not end well. Or I could make love to you until you see colors."

The choice was easy after that. By the time they left the spa, Steph was boneless and satisfied, her guard all but gone again. He took his black suit out of the closet where he'd hung it and left her to get dressed. It didn't take him long to be ready. He called into the restaurants to make reservations and then wandered back toward the bedroom. He passed her black messenger bag. She wasn't likely to carry it to dinner with them. He lifted the flap and pulled out the little GPS unit he'd tucked into the lining and went into their bedroom.

Steph was a vision in a white lacey sundress. It was sleeveless, with a low cut neck that hung loose enough to show a hint of cleavage. She didn't have a lot of cleavage, but he liked what was there. The hem of the skirt came down just above her knees. High enough that he wanted to slide a hand up her thigh just to see her eyes warm.

She wore a conflicted look until she sensed him in the doorway. It was gone when her eyes poured down the simple black suit. "Didn't Noah get these clothes for you sight unseen? This looks like it's been tailored."

"Noah's good at following instructions."

"Noah's magic."

A smile tipped up the corner of his mouth, his eyes doing a slow scan of her dress. "He's not the only one."

That lightened Steph's mood even more. She always did like the way he flirted.

He picked up the little clutch purse she'd set out to go with her dress and slipped the GPS into the back pocket. "This is pretty, but it's a little light. I'm guessing your S&W isn't in it."

"I figured we didn't both need guns."

Ranger's brow rose slightly.

"We're just going to dinner. And it wouldn't fit."

"I knew I was right about the holster for your inner thigh."

"Because that's just what I need. To take something designed to create small explosions and strap it to my lady parts."

He smiled. "If you want to cancel our reservations and stay in again tonight, I'd be happy to demonstrate my dedication to your lady parts' well being."

"You made reservations? I thought we were going to look in all the restaurants."

"We are, but some are harder to get into than others, and this is a good way to get a look at who else is making reservations. There's no way of predicting what name he'll be using, but there's often a pattern. If I see any partials of his known aliases, it could give us a place to start."

"Smart thinking."

"That's why they pay me the big bucks, Babe."

o o o

The first restaurant was a bistro on the ground floor of the main hotel. It was only half full, since it was still early. He'd made a point to ask for a table in the back corner. He did it everywhere he went. Being cautious was the reasons he was still breathing. He hadn't lived a safe life. Not for a lot of years. When you've made that many enemies, it was always smart to sit with your back to the wall.

He ordered an appetizer and watched the room with Stephanie. They had a good vantage point. Full view of the entrances and exits. He wasn't sure how focused Steph was going to be, though. She drank herself right up to the line earlier. Add an hour in the hot tub and she was just shy of marinated. He figured he should give her another hour before he ordered any more drinks.

The appetizer came and Steph only stared at it. Raw tuna with avocado on wafer crisps. Ranger took a bite and then raised an eyebrow at her when she hesitated.

"It's raw."

"And?"

"Seems risky."

Now he was amused. "Babe, I've seen you pack away a half dozen doughnuts in a single sitting. You wanna talk risky?"

"That's different. Doughnuts aren't raw."

"I've seen you eat raw cookie dough, too."

"Still different."

The smile won out. "Tell you what. I'll let you order at the next place."

"Deal."

They sat for half an hour watching the main lobby through the entrances. No Ruguzzis. Ranger paid the check.

The next place was a lounge, and it was more than half filled. A lot of the patrons had sunburned faces and happy smiles. A more cheerful atmosphere than the bistro. More drinking and excited conversations.

Ranger settled back in his chair with his arms folded over his chest when the waiter asked what they wanted. Steph was looking over the menu with a shrewd eye. As if she wasn't just going to order the unhealthiest thing on the menu. She glanced at Ranger and then looked up at the waiter with a perfectly straight face. "We'll have the nachos. Extra cheese."

A grin pulled at Ranger's mouth. "You never disappoint."

She gave him a dirty look she didn't mean.

Turned out the nachos weren't so bad after all. He didn't usually eat that sort of thing. Tried to keep his body in peak performing condition. But the fresh queso looked pretty good, with fresh tomatoes and peppers and chilies. Steph was surprised when he took a couple bites. Steph still thought he lived off of tree bark and wild roots.

By the time they got to the third restaurant, dinner service was in full swing. He'd been careful to time the reservations right, so they were walking up to the hostess' podium right at seven o'clock. The first two places had been a bust. Not a lot of people had bothered making reservations. And none of the ones that had had a name near enough to any of The Rug's aliases to make it worth investigating. He had higher hopes for this place. The tables were packed. The walk in line at least ten parties deep.

He offered the hostess his most charming smile when she asked for his name. "Manoso," he said with velvet in his voice, holding her gaze. "I requested a special, intimate table for me and my wife."

He'd just been trying to distract her enough to get a glimpse of the reservations list, but the hostess flushed bright red and her jaw gaped open. He knew he was handsome in a bad boy sort of way. Dressed in black, with dark eyes that reflected his dangerous life. It wasn't unusual for women to give him a second look. Or a third. The bold ones offered propositions with furtive caution, like they were trying to pet a tiger.

The hostess looked like she'd just had an out of body experience.

He took his time looking at the list while she pulled herself together.

Took a minute.

"Yes. Of course," she said, following his eye line. "Table 17. If you'll come with me."

Steph tucked her hand into his elbow and the hostess flushed again, trying not to look at her. Must be kind of awkward lusting after a married man in front of his wife.

Steph leaned into him. "That was mean. You nearly made that poor girl wet her pants."

"I guess my aim was a little off. You require a lot more effort than most women."

"Is that a bad thing?"

He looked down at her with a carnivorous smile. Not a bad thing. Not even close.

He pulled out a chair for her, his hands brushing her shoulders when he slid her back into place. He felt her shudder. She tried to stay cool. "See anything helpful after you gave the hostess an aneurism?" she asked, watching him.

"It's possible." He settled into the chair beside her so that his back faced the corner. "I saw Terron on the reservations list from yesterday. It's pretty close to one of the aliases The Rug was using in Trenton. Taroni. Could be a coincidence, but it's worth checking out."

"Did you get a room number?"

"The hostess's finger was covering the rest."

"And she looked like she'd lost feeling in her extremities."

"I've been known to have that effect."

"So how do we check it out? If you turn on the charm again she might combust."

His mouth tipped up in a half smile. "Can't have that, can we?"

When the waiter came by, Ranger ordered two glasses of wine, and a salad for himself. Steph was still eyeing the menu. There was a covetous look on her face, as if she was warring between being practical and giving in to her baser urges. It was a look he knew all too well. And given Steph's track record with self control, it usually worked out pretty well for him.

He saw it when she gave in. "I'll have the steak and lobster."

The waiter nodded and left. Ranger turned an amused eye to her. "You just did some Olympics-level rationalizing, didn't you?"

"Are you saying I shouldn't have ordered the lobster?"

"I'm saying if you'd looked any more excited, I might have been jealous."

Steph rolled her eyes at him. "You don't get jealous."

The slight rise in his brow was his only answer. She should have known better than that. Just because he let Morelli keep her all this time didn't mean he liked it. He never liked it. And they all knew damn well that he could have slipped in at any point and seduced her away from him. The only thing that kept him from doing it was knowing that it wouldn't have been fair. Not to her.

Steph shifted in her seat and changed the subject. "So, where do we go from here?"

"I know where I'd like to go from here."

"I mean with the room number."

Ranger was still amused when he scanned the crowd. "We'll try and catch a glimpse on the way out. Shouldn't be too difficult."

The waiter brought a bottle of wine to the table and filled their glasses. Before long, he came back with a filet mignon and a whole lobster tail on a large oval plate, garnished with steamed vegetables. He set Ranger's salad in front of him.

Steph couldn't help the mocking grin. "Mmm. That salad looks good. Very filling."

"The body's a finely tuned machine, Babe. Gotta take care of it," he looked over at her plate. "Let's just hope you don't have to run later."

"Who would I be running from exactly?"

There was wolf in his smile when he met her eyes. She swallowed.

He finished eating before she did, leaning back in his chair so that he could watch with fascinated curiosity while she packed away 15 oz. of surf and turf. She tried to offer him some, but he declined. At a certain point it seemed to have become a marathon sport, and he felt like he was waiting at the finish line to see if she would be able to make it across. By the last bite, she was looking full but oddly happy.

"Can you handle dessert?" he asked her, hiding a smile. "We could call it a night."

"What do you think?"

His smile widened when he passed the waiter his shining black credit card.

Steph stepped ahead of him on the way out so that she could talk to the hostess without his interference. Probably sparing the girl more awkwardness. She spun some lie about her friend Tootie Terron having dropped an emerald earring at her table last night. She said it with enough sincerity that even he was starting to wonder if it was true. The girl bought every inch. Even went through the trouble of having someone look for the earring that never existed while Steph got a good look at the page of reservations. Steph thanked her when they didn't find it and Ranger put a hand to her back to guide her out. "Smooth," he said in her ear.

"That's why they ought to pay me the big bucks."

He slung an arm around her shoulders with a swell of pride. "Make this capture and they will."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

The last restaurant was on the third floor of the hotel, with a wall of windows that overlooked the ocean. It was expensive. Black and polished with an hour long wait just for a seat at the bar. It had taken some finesse to get a table with only two hours notice. A fair amount of charm and a generous tip. Nothing he couldn't handle.

He spoke to the maitre d and tipped him too. The man nodded and led them to the quiet booth near the terrace that he'd asked for. He pulled Steph onto the bench seat next to him and eased an arm around her shoulders.

He didn't bother looking at the menu. Steph was the one who ate dessert. Loved it, in fact. Sometimes he suspected that if Steph had to choose forever between dessert and sex, she might just choose dessert.

Her body warmed and he heard the subtle change in her breathing that usually meant she was getting aroused. For a second he wondered if she'd read his thoughts. He leaned toward her and slid a hand onto her knee under the table. "Babe. What are you thinking about? Because I swear you're body temperature just jumped up a couple degrees."

She didn't answer. Didn't seem able. She took in a deep breath and let it out with a little quiver. Probably getting even more turned on by the shower gel she liked so much. Thank God for his housekeeper's taste in bath products.

He slid his hand further up her knee, flirting with the edge of her skirt. "Are you sure you want to wait for dessert?" he asked, his eyes dropping to her mouth.

Someone approached the table and the spell broke, stealing Steph's attention away. "Ah. This is why I adore these retreats. It's wonderful to see young couples so in love."

Ranger turned a hard eye on the middle-aged Spaniard in the black waiter's uniform, his annoyance only thinly veiled with a charming smile. The Spaniard didn't notice, though. He only had eyes for Stephanie.

Smart man.

He asked if they were ready to order and Steph looked up at Ranger. Maybe wondering if he was going to make her choose between chocolate and sex. Of course, he never would. He was used to playing the long game with Stephanie. Bidding his time while he waited for the right moment. It made the anticipation part of the fun. Plus, if he did try to make her choose, he wasn't entirely sure he would win.

He shrugged. "Whatever you want, Babe."

She looked down at the menu again and he could see it when temptation got the better of her. "The espresso fudge crème brulee looks amazing."

"It is one of our more popular desserts. And you sir?"

"Coffee will be fine."

"Very good, sir. And may I say, your wife is very beautiful. You're a lucky man."

Ranger looked down and was met with those stunning blue eyes of hers. "Some days more than others."

"Ah. And that is the secret to a long, happy marriage, yes? To take life one day at a time. And of course, a date now and then to keep the fires burning." The waiter beamed at them once more and nodded into a bow before he turned to leave.

Steph watched him go for a second before she looked up at Ranger again. "Do you think that's true?"

"Hard to say," he said, tracing a finger along her bare arm. "Were you able to get the room number?"

It wasn't lost on her that he'd changed the subject, but she didn't call him on it. In a small way, she looked relieved. Given the turn their conversation had taken earlier at the beach, it was probably best to avoid the topic of marriage altogether. Especially since neither of them was really qualified to discuss any kind of marriage that was happy. Or long.

Steph's first marriage hadn't been ideal. She'd been too young. Too eager to fill that role of housewife that had been laid out for her by every matriarch that ever presided over a traditional family. If Morelli was an ass sometimes, Stephanie's ex husband was the king of all douche bags. He hadn't let a little thing like promising love and fidelity to an incredible woman slow down his sex life. Which meant when she caught him on their new dining room table with her least favorite psychopath, things flamed out in a divorce that Ranger was still hearing gossip about a decade later.

Fortunately for Ranger, he'd been spared spending a significant amount of time with Dickie Orr. That was fortunate for Dickie, too. Unlike Morelli, Ranger wasn't bound to the strict code of conduct dictated by law enforcement. In Ranger's house, accidents involving broken noses happened from time to time.

His own divorce had been cheerful by comparison. The marriage itself had been little more than a formality. He'd known Rachel since high school. They hadn't been friends exactly. Didn't travel in the same circles. He'd been a bit of a loner, keeping mostly to himself after he'd been sent to live with his grandmother in Miami. Partly because he hadn't bothered making many friends. Partly because word got out that he'd gone to juvie for stealing a car back in Trenton. It had labeled him a bad boy. A title he'd worn the hell out of. Still did.

Years later, after he'd dropped out of college to join the army, he ran into Rachel in a bar one night on leave. One thing led to another. It wasn't until he'd been redeployed that he found out she was pregnant. Next chance he got, he went back to Miami and did right by her. Put a ring on her finger and sealed it in front of a judge. Stayed married just long enough to give their daughter his name.

It had been what Rachel had wanted. She found a nice guy a few years later, got married again. She invited Ranger to visit a few times a year. He sent Julie birthday and Christmas presents. It was a consolation that they were happy. It was all he could really hope for, considering.

He watched Steph for a long time, her thoughts only barely readable. He wondered idly what she needed to be happy.

Steph shifted a little in her seat, letting her thoughts circle around again. "Yeah," she finally managed to answer. "Sort of. It was some kind of shorthand, though. I don't think it was in the main hotel."

"That's possible. There are also villas, condos, and a few different clusters of cottages spread throughout the resort. What did you see?"

"C E 6."

"Sounds like it might be a cottage."

"That's what I was thinking. Do you know where that is?"

"Not yet," he said, tracing his fingers along the nape of her neck. "How would you like to take a long stroll in the moonlight? Might get lucky."

"You're still talking about the hunt, right?"

"Babe, I'm always talking about the hunt."

o o o

Steph had enjoyed her dessert with an almost indecent amount of enthusiasm. He'd been pretty entertained watching her. He inspired similar faces sometimes.

She put the last spoonful in her mouth and gagged. Ranger was confused a second before he followed her eye line. Tootie Ruguzzi was standing with the maitre d. Looked like she was making reservations. Steph had gone still beside him.

"We should do something," she whispered.

"If you get up now you'll cause a scene and it'll be harder to follow her later. Let her go. We'll pick her up again."

"But she's right there!"

"And she'll be right there again when we run her to ground," he said, stroking her neck, hoping to calm her down. "We'll do some recon. Track her the old fashioned way." He leaned into her and kissed just below her ear, feeling the hum that moved through her already excited body. "It'll be fun."

Tootie nodded to the maître d with a smile and started for the elevators. It took a good deal of Steph's will power not to dart after her.

More willpower than she had.

She wriggled out from under his arm and got to her feet. "I'm going after her."

"Babe. We still have to pay the check. By the time we're through here she'll be long gone."

"Then you can catch up," she said, and hurried for the front doors. He tried to stop her, but she was too fast. And running after her would cause the same scene he'd just advised her to avoid.

Why did she never listen to him?

He waved down the waiter and called the Rangeman control room, grateful that he'd had the foresight to tag Steph's bag, and that she was enough of a girl to have taken it with her. He handed his card to the waiter. "Run this quickly. There's somewhere I have to be."

The Spaniard frowned. "Is your wife ill?"

"My wife is fine, she just had to run ahead and I need to catch up to her."

The Spaniard finally understood and hurried away. The phone had stopped ringing while he was talking. Tank was on the other line. If Tank thought the conversation was odd, he didn't say it.

"I need Stephanie's 20," Ranger told him. "We were separated and I'd like to find her."

The line was silent while Tank checked with the control room. It was three in the morning in Trenton, but that didn't slow them down. Tank was back a full minute before the waiter. "She just walked out of the hotel's southern doors, heading east onto the grounds. Looks from satellite imaging to be a garden."

"Call me if she changes direction." He disconnected, finished with the waiter and was striding to the stairwell a few seconds later. He didn't have to push through the crowded lobby. Most people saw him coming and parted enough to let him through. One of the advantages of a dangerous image.

He waited until he had vanished into the shadows before he pulled his gun. The garden was silent. Barely visible in the moonlight. He listened for the slightest sound. A rustle of leaves. An errant breath. There was a presence up ahead. Hard to tell who it might be. He crept through the garden until he was near enough to hear footsteps. Two sets. The feet ahead paused and the figure in front of him stopped in her tracks, her fair skin and white dress shining like an apparition in the moonlight.

She went to take a step forward and he snatched her out of the air, dragging her back into the shelter of hedges. It only took her a second to recognize him. The tension went out of her and he let his hand fall off her mouth, resting it on her collar just over her breast. "That was a reckless move, Babe."

"I was being careful!"

"Not careful enough. You're alone in the dark, unguarded and unarmed."

"You don't think I can chase Tootie without you? That's insulting."

"Babe, I know you're perfectly capable of dogging Tootie or any number of targets all on your own, but the pot of gold at the end of this particular rainbow aerates brains for a living, and I like your head the way it is."

That seemed to reach her. A little more starch fell out of her posture. "How'd you even find her? I thought you said it would be hard if she had a lead like that."

"I didn't find her, I found you. I had the Rangeman control room call up your signal the second you started running."

"But the GPS unit is in my other purse."

"I moved it while you were getting dressed."

"You've gotta stop doing that."

He held her tighter, brushing his smile along her neck until he felt her shiver. "Do you really want me to stop?"

"Would it make a difference if I said yes?"

"I doubt it."

"Tootie's getting away." It was a halfhearted complaint. They both knew it. If he really wanted to, he could have easily talked her into forgetting the whole thing. Too bad she was right.

"She's only fifty feet ahead of us," he said, kissing her in the hollow between her neck and shoulder before he let her go. He kept his arm around her waist and pulled her to his side. "If we get spotted by her or anyone else, you're wasted."

"Giggly wasted or can't walk straight wasted?"

"Play it by ear."

Ranger tucked his gun away when they reached the edge of the garden. They couldn't see Tootie anymore, but he knew she was ahead of them. There hadn't been any obvious place she could have taken a detour, and the growing lights from a cluster of cottages ahead made it likely that was where she was headed.

They caught up to her on the path. Tootie was wandering slowly now that she was out of the shadowed garden. Taking her time. All they had to do was keep their distance and she should lead them right to The Rug.

Tootie paused mid step. She'd sensed their presence. She turned on the spot to look back at them. If he'd been alone he would have been able to slip into the shadows without being seen, but there was no way Steph would be able to move that fast. That left one option. Be invisible by not being invisible. He reached down and grabbed her ass.

Steph yelped in genuine surprise before she caught on, giving him a playful shove. "Be nice!"

"Oh, I'll be nice," he answered, catching her around the waist. He lifted her up until her feet were dangling off the ground and carried her to the nearest cottage, pressing her back to the front door. An inebriated new husband who couldn't even wait long enough to get inside to start taking his wife's clothes off. He leaned into Steph and nibbled her neck, hiding his face as best he could while still keeping an eye on Tootie. It was a risky play. It would make them memorable if she got a good look. If she saw them too often, she might not buy it as coincidence, even if she thought they were neighbors.

Tootie looked at them a second, and then shook her head a little and continued on her way.

Ranger pulled back so they could follow her, but Steph caught his neck. That was when he realized the shallow way she was breathing, her fists clenched to the collar of his shirt. Tootie a distant memory.

That sounded good to him.

Ranger moved into her again, and this time he had only one thing in mind. His kiss was deep and intense, his hands touching every part of her he could through the thin lace. He caught her knee and pulled her around his hip, opening her up so that he could sink into her, his hand searching up her bare thigh beneath her skirt like he'd been wanting since he'd first seen the dress. She made a little whimpering sound and he nearly lost control.

The door behind her back flew open and it was only his instincts and the arm around her waist that kept her from falling. He scooped her up and held her against him. The man behind the door wasn't in any way amused to find a pair of newlyweds practically making love against the front of his vacation cottage. "Do you mind?"

"Sorry!" Steph gasped, adding a light slur to her giggle so that she sounded drunker than she was. "I guess we got a little lost. I'm so sorry."

Ranger looped an arm around her waist with a huge grin and swept her away from the door. The man shook his head, but didn't make any more issue of it.

Ranger set her feet back on the path, an arm still around her waist. Steph was a train wreck in a lot of ways, but every once in a while, she did things that really impressed him. He didn't know how much of it was luck and how much was raw talent and intuition. Either way, he'd learned a long time ago that she could hold her own in an investigation. Sometimes she'd even have insight he didn't. It was what made her his favorite partner.

He smiled, letting his hand roam over her waist. Hell, if it weren't for the fact she got flustered so easily, she might have made a decent spy.

"Did you see where Tootie went?" she asked him, breaking his thoughts.

"Only for a minute. She turned a corner and I was about to suggest we follow her when your priorities changed." He let his eyes wander down her back, his hand moving over her ass again. "You still want to follow her? Because I'm ready to go home and pull this dress off of you."

She considered that for a moment. Probably sounded like a good idea to her too. "Just one more try. We should find out where we are. See if it matches the shorthand for Terron."

"Alright. I'm game. But it's going to cost you."

She looked up at him with a flirty smile. "Promise?"

God, she was fun.

She skipped ahead of him like she thought he was going to catch her and make her change her mind about following Tootie. He couldn't say the thought hadn't occurred to him, but there was something sexy about watching Steph on a hunt. There always had been. She came alive when she was prying open a mystery. And the triumph in her eyes when she figured it out? He's never seen a better aphrodisiac.

He caught her hand, but didn't pull her back. He just let her lead the way onto the next path of cottages that would lead down toward the bay.

There was movement ahead. Ranger caught her waist and whisked her off the path into the shadows between cottages 9 and 10, pressing her into his body. He looked down at her face in the darkness. Her pale eyes gleaming in what little light found them through the trees. He put a hand on his gun and waited. The shadow of a man crossed under the lights and came to a stop just outside of their influence. Ranger watched him carefully, too aware of the way Steph tensed. The man scanned the trees around them, and then the buildings. Then he moved on.

Steph let out a harried breath. Ranger laughed softly. Steph had a few God given talents, but handling danger wasn't one of them. She'd been a bounty hunter for a few years. Most people doing the job would have reached a certain professionalism by now. Usually became harder and just a little jaded. Not Steph. There were still ways in which she was a complete novice.

Of course, there would never come a time when she would be as good at handling danger as he was. He was special like that. Even when he had a gun pointed at his head and he knew death was an exhale away, his breathing was still slow and even, his heart steady.

There were some advantages to having lived his life. Nothing scared him anymore.

He looked down at Steph's face in the filtered moonlight. Well. Almost nothing.

He took her hand and led the way into the shadows, staying to the bushes so they wouldn't be noticed. She moved her hand to the small of his back. She was more conspicuous than he was. He melted into the darkness in his all black suit, only the slight glint of his black gun catching the light. Steph was practically glowing.

He stepped in front of her and put a second hand on his weapon. He was counting the buildings. They'd passed cottages 10 and 9. He crept up to the private yard behind 8 and then passed it by. Some of the cottages were occupied. Hard to tell if the others were vacant or if their occupants just weren't home.

Somewhere between 8 and 7, Steph's hand slipped down past his belt and onto his ass. Ranger paused, a grin lifting his face. He turned to look at her in the darkness. "Babe."

She offered him an exaggerated shrug, an innocent look on her face. "Sorry."

They both noticed that she didn't move her hand.

Ranger shook his head, fighting a laugh. Smartass.

He pushed on through the yard on 7. The cottage was mostly dark. There was some activity at the front where the living room was located. Faint lights reflecting off the windows and the light sounds from a television. Ranger pushed on, his feet making no sound through the flowing bushes. Steph, on the other hand, wasn't nearly as stealthy. He kept them at a slow pace so that she wouldn't make enough noise to draw attention.

The windows on 6 were dark. The shades drawn. No sign at all that anyone was staying there. He stepped closer to make sure the place was quiet as well as dark and didn't hear a sound.

"Guess we're in the wrong place," Steph whispered behind him. He could hear her disappointment.

"It's possible."

Steph let out a sigh. Pretty anticlimactic after following Tootie halfway across the resort. Might have just been a coincidence that she was heading this way. It had also been a calculated guess that Terron was a new alias. There was always the possibility that it wouldn't pan out.

Steph took a step back to get out of the bushes, but her foot snagged on the roots. Ranger hadn't been expecting it. He caught her too late and she pulled him down with her, landing hard on her back in the bushes with his body on top of hers. He slipped a hand under her head to protect her from the ground. He set his gun next to her and closed her in his arms, laughter rocking through him. "Are you okay?"

She nodded. It was an absent answer. Hardly any thought behind it. She had something else in mind. The moment he realized that, it was all he could think about. She was pressed against his body under his own weight, her breasts rising and falling against his chest. He leaned over her and kissed her, tender at first, and then the heat took over and he slipped his tongue into her mouth. She opened up to him and he held her tight, his hands skating over her through the delicate white lace.

She was tearing at his suit coat and then his shirt, desperate to touch him. The buttons came loose and she shoved the fabric out of the way. The lace on her bodice rubbed against his bare skin, his heart beating faster. His hands moved up her skirt to stroke her thighs where they parted to let him in.

That was the moment he realized he didn't have a condom.

After all the times he'd carried them on the off chance she'd get excited. After keeping them in his wallet, and his car, and his apartment just to be safe. Now they were so active that he was going through several a day and he'd forgotten to bring one with him because it hadn't occurred to him things might escalate this far from the cottage.

Talk about an oversight.

He tried to master his body. "We need to go home right now."

"But it's so far."

"This was supposed to be a simple night out. I didn't bring anything with me."

He could hear her frustration in every shallow breath. She struggled with something for a minute, her body moving beneath him in a way that was starting to make it hard to care about consequences. He saw the moment she gave in. She rose up until her mouth was on him, her hips pressing into him in the effort. "I'm covered," she whispered in his ear.

God. The thought of having her now, with nothing between them, made him so hard it was painful. It had been years since he'd been so tempted to go without protection. Not since Rachel. And that had been a desperate lapse in judgment that had involved a fair amount of Tequila.

There hadn't been a lot of women since then. He'd been too careful to trust more than a few. And he'd been even more careful to make sure he was never in the position again to find out one of his encounters had resulted in more than the mutual release of pent up energies.

But the idea of being that close to Steph. Of feeling his skin sliding into hers.

If she was on the pill—

"Are you sure?"

He held his breath for just a second when her lips touched his ear. "Absolutely."

He didn't wait for any more than that. Just pushed aside what little clothes there was between them. And when he filled her, she gasped in a way that ripped through any doubts he might have had.

He knew it was stupid and reckless, but at the moment it was really hard to care. There were still so many clothes between them that it was almost the only place they were touching. It heightened the sensation. Gave every long, slow stroke the power that should have been spread through his entire body.

Her response was stronger, too. Her breath thinner. Her fingers searching up his bare skin under his shirt and suit coat to dig into his back. He had to cover her mouth with his to keep her from crying out so they wouldn't be discovered.

He felt it when she came hard. He gave over to it, letting it draw him into her even deeper, his breath shuddering against her throat. Full understanding didn't come to him until he was lying sated on top of her, his body still joined with hers while they waited for their heart rates to slow.

He tried really hard not to do things that were stupid. He only seemed to make exceptions when Steph was involved. She was a bad influence on him. They were bad influences on each other.

He kissed her softly, praying to God they had the same definition of 'covered.'

And then light filled the windows above them.

Ranger froze on top of her. Her eyes were round with horror, staring up at the window where voices could be heard in vague, indistinct tones. Ranger slid a hand over to his gun.

"If we don't hurry we'll lose our table," a woman said from somewhere near the front door.

"Just one second."

The other voice was male. A definite thread of impatience. He was searching through his luggage, and when he grunted in triumph, the air was punctuated with the slide action of a Ruger SR45. Steph's eyes found his and he could see true panic there.

The lights went out and Ranger's grip tightened on his weapon. He didn't move. Not just because he didn't want to make a sound, but because he couldn't be certain what Stephanie would do if he slid out of her before they were sure The Rug was gone. They lay frozen on the ground for a full minute before he lifted off of her very slowly and started straightening their clothes. He lifted her to her feet and took her hand, leading her away from the cottage and down to the beach as fast as he could in the moonlight.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

Neither of them said a word the entire way across the resort. Normal for him. Not normal for Stephanie. As soon as they were closed up in their own cottage, she started to tremble. She gave her hands a shake like it might bring feeling back to them. "Do you think it was them?" she finally managed to say.

Ranger took her hands and kissed her palms before he draped her arms around his neck. She was freaking out more than usual. He'd seen her come down from adrenaline before, and she never handled it well. It was probably even more disorienting on the heels of an orgasm like that one. He pulled her closer. "I think the circumstantial evidence is pretty strong. Probably not that many people bring a Ruger .45 to a five star resort."

"Just fugitives felons and you, right?"

He almost smiled. "I've got a nine mil."

"Well, that makes all the difference."

Her bravado was thin. She was still in shock. Ranger smiled, pulling a twig from her hair. "Maybe we should get you in the shower."

"I can manage," she said. The let down from the adrenaline had taken its toll. Even if he'd been suggesting a sexy shower, she wouldn't have had the energy to go another round. Though the fact she'd assumed that was what he meant suggested she might have been tempted.

Steph turned toward the bathroom and he stopped her, dragging her up against his body. He looked down at her until she met his eye. "Are you sure you're okay?"

She nodded, but it was still numb. "I'll be fine."

"You always are." Yet another reason why he loved her. She could be incredibly resilient.

He leaned down to give her a soft, lingering kiss before he let her go. It wasn't until she was wandering toward the bathroom that he saw the back of her white lace dress. It was torn in places, dirt ground into fabric all the way across the back. He suppressed a smile on the off chance she turned around. She wouldn't be happy when she saw that her dressed was ruined. He just couldn't bring himself to be sorry about it.

He listened to the shower while he changed out of his black suit. His black dress shirt was barely closed when he pulled off his jacket, leaving a gaping trail of mocha abs all the way down to his belt. Steph had popped several buttons off his shirt when she'd tried to rip his clothes off. He smirked and shook his head. He'd seen her excited before, but he'd never seen her quite like that. Not even when she'd been daring enough to want to do the deed in his 911 Turbo.

No matter how well he thought he knew her, she was always able to surprise him.

He changed his slacks for a pair of cargo pants, pulling on a plain black t-shirt. His nylon webbed gun belt was in his luggage, already outfitted with flashlight and cuffs. He buckled it around his waist and fit his Glock into the holster.

Steph came out of the bathroom still wrapped in a towel just as he was pulling a slick black windbreaker over his work clothes. He flipped down the collar and adjusted the jacket over his broad shoulders. "Settle in and watch some television. I'll be back."

"Where the hell do you think you're going?"

He raised an eyebrow at her. "Recon."

"And you were going to leave me behind?"

"Babe, it's a narrow window. I don't have time to debate this."

"I thought we were in this together."

"We are. But if that cottage really belongs to The Rug I want to get in and out before he has a chance to finish dinner. On the off chance that doesn't happen, I don't want you in his crosshairs."

"So you're trying to protect me?"

"Yes."

"And you think the way to do that is the drop me here and expect me to stay put while you run off into the night? With no small army of merry men to keep me from running after you?"

He stood there staring at her for a beat. "You're going to make this difficult, aren't you?"

"Damn skippy."

He quickly weighted his options. He'd been banking on her being too tired to want to tag along. The hard stare she was giving him made it only too obvious that wasn't the case. He drew in a slow breath and let it out in a silent stream. "You can be a real pain in the ass sometimes."

"But am a pain in the ass you're still gonna try and leave behind?"

Ranger thought about that a second and then looked down at his watch. "You have ninety seconds and then I'm going, with or without you. And if you're not appropriately dressed, I'll handcuff you to the bed to make you stay put."

She shed the towel before he'd even finished saying it, standing there at the foot of the bed in nothing but skin. It was an appealing sight. She riffled through her open suitcase and started tossing black cloths down on the bed, slipping into them so fast that part of him regretted only giving her ninety seconds. He wouldn't have minded if she'd taken her time.

She stuck her Smith and Wesson into the front hip of her dark jeans with a grimace and then covered it with her shirt, dragging her shoes on one at a time. He looked her over. Couldn't find a single thing to object to. Pity. After watching that, he kinda wanted to handcuff her to the bed anyway.

Ranger let out another breath and gestured to the door.

o o o

He kept up a pretty quick pace all the way back. Steph struggled to keep up. He hadn't pushed her as hard as he could have. Just enough to get them there quickly without making her lose the expensive dinner she'd enjoyed so much. If he'd been on his own he'd have made it in half the time. Ranger was a runner who liked to push hard. Steph, not so much.

She tried her best not to double over when they reached the beach on the other side of the resort. She was still sagging, though, her breathing ragged. He looked over at her without bothering to hide his grin. "How's that steak and lobster sitting?"

She didn't have enough breath left to snipe back with whatever wiseass answer was all over her face. She finally gave in and double over, pride be damned, and settled for flipping him off. He laughed.

"Come on, superstar. Clock's ticking."

When she didn't move he just scooped her up into his arms and carried her up the beach like a babydoll. Set her on the back porch of the cottage, listening for any sign of activity. The place was empty.

Ranger reached into her pants and pulled out her .45. He put it in her hand, and then turned his attention on the deadbolt. It didn't take him more than a few seconds to get it open. He had a special talent with locks. There wasn't a lot that could keep him out of a place he wanted to get into.

He pushed the door open and listened to the silence for a second before he let her in and locked the door behind them, holstering his own weapon. The place was tiny. Just a single room with an en suite bath, a little living area with a television and a bistro table. Very few personal effects were left lying around. A few suitcases beside the bed.

"Keep watch out front," he told her. "This shouldn't take long."

He started searching while she took up a post by the front window, her .45 pointed at the floor. She'd have preferred if he hadn't made her bring it, but sometimes her comfort wasn't as important as necessity. A lesson he hoped he'd be able to teach her before she had to learn it the hard way.

There wasn't much to see in the cottage. An ugly lime green and orange tourist shirt hanging on the back of a chair. A few brochures. Steph looked through those while he moved on to the bedroom and started unzipping the luggage.

The wife was an obsessive over packer. There were enough clothes and ladies shoes to last for three weeks. The husband's bag was more reasonable. The typical shirts and Bermuda shorts you'd expect to see in a middle-aged man's suitcase. At least when he was vacationing with his wife. Men on vacation with their mistresses brought things with more class.

Ranger lifted a cream colored polyester shirt and hit the mother lode. The Ruger wasn't the only hardware this guy was packing. There was a .38 lying at the bottom of his suitcase without a holster, next to a few extra clips for the Ruger and a silencer. Definitely The Rug's vacation cottage. The only other possibility was that they'd just happened upon some other random contract killer.

Where he'd gotten the hardware after flying into the island was anyone's guess. He wasn't likely to have a ground contact like Rico. Probably bought them off the street.

He unzipped the front pouch and started going through the plane tickets and hotel receipts. Documented a few with his cell phone.

Steph went still. She'd been shifting since he started, too uncomfortable holding a loaded gun to stand in one place. Only one thing could have taken her mind off it that much. Someone was coming.

Ranger straightened the rest of the luggage and set it carefully back where he'd found it. He motioned to her and she followed him out the backdoor. He made sure to lock it behind them. The lights went on in the cottage just as they were backing away, unhurried voices filtering out through the windows.

Ranger led Steph down to the shoreline and slowed to a leisurely pace once they passed the yard on 8. They wouldn't be visible from The Rug's windows. And anybody else who happened to look out would just see a husband and wife out for a moonlit stroll.

He put an arm around her neck and pulled her closer, kissing the top of her head. "Seems the people in that cottage are calling themselves Martin and Charlotte Terron. Didn't find anything definitive, but there was enough hardware in the husband's luggage to make me think we're on to something."

"Should we go back and pick him up?"

"Not yet. I want to get eyes on him from a distance first. Confirm we have the right target. I'll call Silvio at the Miami office and see what he can run down on these names. Might be able to get the reservation dates from the hotel's system."

"Think Silvio can manage that with all the hotel's security measures?"

Ranger only looked at her, a light smile pulling at his mouth. She rolled her eyes, more at herself than him. She'd met Silvio before, and even though she knew nothing about his history, she'd figured out that he had skills the average person didn't have.

"How does he do all that stuff anyway? Is that even legal?"

"Best not to ask, Babe."

o o o

He called Silvio as soon as they got back to the cottage. The sun would only just be rising on the East coast, but ever since he moved back to Miami to be near family, Silvio liked to get an early start on his day.

Steph had gone straight into their bedroom when they got home. Ranger listened to the phone ring while he watched her strip off her pants through the open door. She folded her legs under her on their bed with the covers over her lap and the remote control in hand. He liked how comfortable she looked. It was nice. Natural. He didn't bother pulling his eyes away when the line opened.

"What do you need, boss?" Silvio asked him. Clearly he'd seen the caller ID. Ranger's men were always more professional and brisk when they knew he was calling. Knew he didn't like to waste time with small talk or pleasantries.

"I want you to run background for me on a Martin and Charlotte Terron. I've sent you images detailing flight records and credit card information, as well as the name of the hotel on Oahu where they've been staying. Dig deep. If these people have any other identities or connections, I want to know about it. I also want you to access the hotel's system and find out how long they're intending to stay."

Silvio started tapping at his keyboard without asking any more questions. Didn't even ask how fast he wanted the information. If it was something that could wait, Ranger wouldn't have called.

None of his men ever asked more questions than were absolutely necessary. Rangeman operated on need-to-know most of the time, and it wasn't just because Ranger was a hardass who didn't like to share. The kind of work they did necessitated it. Every one of his men knew that when Ranger asked for something that didn't make obvious sense, it was best to just follow orders. Knowing more wasn't always a good thing.

After he finished with Silvio, Ranger went into the bedroom with Steph. He unbuckled his gun belt and set it in the top dresser drawer. He set his gun down on the bedside table, the phone next to the gun.

Ranger settled onto his side of the bed and lounged back beside Stephanie. He let his fingers trace down her spine in a casual way. "Silvio had just reached his desk when I called. He said at first glance Martin and Charlotte Terron look like tourists from upstate New York. Martin works in the HR department for an advertising firm, and Charlotte is a sales rep for a makeup company. Could be stolen identities. Could just be a nice couple who like to pack heat on vacation. Either way, he's going to keep digging. We should know a lot more by morning."

"Did he find out anything from the hotel yet?"

"Not while I was on the phone with him. I told him to call me immediately if they're scheduled to check out tomorrow. Otherwise, we should have plenty of time," he said, a lazy smile lifting his face. The edge of her shirt didn't quite meet the bed, showing a couple inches of soft skin above the waistband of her black underwear. "Time we can spend any way we want."

"Did you have something specific in mind?"

She was such a flirt. He liked it when she teased him. Steph was the only person who dared. Almost from the first day he'd met her, she'd refused to take him seriously.

He leaned down and laid a kiss on the small of her back. She drew in a sharp breath, her skin warming. He pushed her shirt up another couple inches and kissed her again. "I've got some ideas."

"Those ideas don't involve handcuffs, do they?"

A small smile surfaced. He pushed her shirt even higher, his lips caressing the middle of her back. "Would that be a deal breaker?"

"Might be. I'm not really the adventurous type."

This time he grinned. "Babe."

She turned to look at him, adorably unaware of just how ridiculous that sounded. "What?"

"Not the adventurous type?"

"What are you saying?"

He lifted her shirt off over her head and followed the line of her body with his hands. "I'm saying you chase felons for a living, and it's not because it pays well. You take more risks than I do with half the backup."

"I thought you hated that."

"I don't love it. But I'm fairly certain it qualifies you for adventurous."

"I guess."

He smiled again. "Not to mention the time you straddled me in my 911."

"That was pretty fun."

Yes. It really was. Especially since he hadn't known, after she spent the night with him the second time, if things would continue between them or if it was just another one night stand. He let his fingers trace along the underwire of her black lace bra until he reached the clasp in the back. One flick and it released, leaving the bra hanging loose on her shoulders. "Speaking of fun," he said, kissing the nape of her neck. "You're covered, huh?"


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

Alright. So some of the ideas had originally involved handcuffs. He'd been able to improvise, though. He'd pushed her hard, testing the limits of her endurance until they were sweaty and spent, their bodies entwined under the sheets in complete contentment. Steph was a reluctant runner, and anything that involved sparing or self defense held almost no appeal despite her profession, but when it came to sex, Steph was an all or nothing kind of girl.

She was still sound asleep when he woke beside her the next morning. She wasn't lying on top of him like he would have expected. He rolled toward her and fit an arm around her waist, pulling her against him. She didn't respond right away. He kissed her neck, and then her shoulder, caressing her under the covers. She stirred just enough to pull her pillow over her face.

He laughed at her. Guess she wasn't ready to get up.

Ranger climbed out of the bed and dressed in sweats, deciding to head to the gym to burn off some of the extra energy. He thought for a brief second of inviting Steph to go with him, but dismissed it just as quickly. Steph only enjoyed one kind of exercise, and it didn't involve any clothes.

It was nearly eight by the time he got back, dripping with sweat from running so hard along the beach. It had been a good workout. Productive. And maybe after he'd had a shower and made some coffee, Steph would be ready for him to try waking her again.

He came in the French door off the lanai and walked through the bathroom into the bedroom. Steph was still snuggled into the bed, but her eyes were open. She couldn't have been awake long. Her cheeks still had a warm glow, her eyes soft. "Up already?" he asked. "I thought you might be down another hour after last night."

"I think you're overestimating your abilities."

He wasn't. They both knew it. She'd come so many times last night that he was a little surprised she wasn't hoarse. But he could understand her inclination to try and keep him humble. He fought a smile. "How about I take a quick shower and we find out?"

She bit her lip, her eyes moving down his body. He pulled his sweaty t-shirt off over his head and saw temptation fill her face. She pulled back, hoping to control herself. Knowing her, it would be a losing battle. "Where did you go this morning, anyway?"

"Ran a few miles. Then I went to the gym. I get a fair amount of cardio with you, but not a lot of strength training. I tried to wake you before I left. You weren't having it." He lost the sweatpants too and stood there totally naked. "Why don't you get some coffee brewing and join me?"

"I'll think about it."

He felt a smile. He didn't know what could have brought back her reluctance, but he figured it was only a matter of time before she gave in again. Things had been good between them. Nothing awkward or uncomfortable. In fact, given how incredible the sex was, he was starting to wish he'd asked if she was on the pill sooner.

He thought for sure that she would climb into the shower with him. She didn't. The scent of coffee had filled the cottage, filtering in through the bathroom door to mix with the scent of his shower gel. Maybe he really had worn her out. He toweled off and shaved before he went to find her in the kitchen. He hadn't bothered to put any clothes on. He figured she'd be in one of his t-shirts and nothing else. When he came up behind her, he found her dressed in a pink tank top and a pair of cut off shorts. Sexy. But it was also clearly not an invitation.

He wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her shoulder. "Are we going somewhere today?"

"I was thinking we should try one of the places the Terron's had brochures for."

"You know it's a long shot they would be there."

"Yeah, I know. But I can't just sit around waiting to hear from Silvio. Besides. I should do this stuff while I can. What are the chances I'll get to come back to Hawaii?"

"Depends," he said, brushing his hands over her, her back pressed against his bare chest. "If every trip was this much fun, I might find an excuse to bring you back."

Her posture loosened and he took that for encouragement, moving a hand over her breast. She leaned into him and let her head roll back on his shoulder, leaving her open enough that he could kiss her neck. And then like a shutter dropping, she pulled away.

She took a deliberate step toward the coffee pot and poured out two cups. Handed one to him black before she turned her back on him to add cream to her own. He watched her. There was starch in her posture again. Her walls back up. He couldn't think of anything that would have put her on guard.

"Is something up?"

"Why would something be up?"

"You tell me."

She shifted on her feet without looking at him. Then she started adding sugar to her coffee. Fuck.

When Steph got stressed she went to the bakery. It wasn't a healthy habit, but it was predictable. Doughnuts, tasty cakes, chocolate bars. She used them to hide from her feelings. If she had feelings she wanted to hide from, this wasn't going to go well for him. He waited for a long time, watched her avoid his eye. Eventually, the pressure was too much for her. "If you had to do it all over again, would you have still married Rachel?"

He didn't say anything for a full minute. Not the answer he'd been expecting. "Why?"

"It was just something I was thinking about. I know your life was different then. But it's hard not to wonder. If you would have still married her today just because she got pregnant. If there was ever any chance you would have stayed married if things had been different. If you'd been living a different life. That kind of thing."

"Doesn't seem like a productive line of thought."

She finally turned to look at him. "You telling me you never think about it?"

"Rachel and I never had that kind of relationship."

"You never loved her?"

"No."

"But if you had loved her—"

"Babe. Don't dwell on it. It won't lead anywhere you want to go."

"Why?"

"It just won't. I know you. If you go down that rabbit hole you won't like what you find."

"What will I find?"

He didn't say anything. Just stood there watching her.

Nothing good would come from answering. He'd weighted that option enough times. It wasn't that he didn't think he could trust her. He'd trusted her before and she'd never let him down. But this. This would change things he didn't want changed. If he told her about his past, she'd never look at him the same way again.

She shifted on her feet. Nervous. "You've said before that you love me."

"Because I do love you."

"You just never want to marry me."

"Babe." Want had nothing to do with it. Want had never had anything to do with it.

But there was a big difference between want and right.

"What if I got pregnant?" she said without thinking. He could see the shock on her face when she heard it for herself. Like she'd have given anything to take the words back.

He wasn't sure why she'd said it. He'd looked at the package of pills himself that morning. She was current. But that didn't always mean anything. He leveled a careful eye at her. "Is that a possibility?"

"It's always a possibility. No matter how many methods I use. If it happened…would you do the same thing you did with Rachel?"

"No."

He didn't know exactly what he'd do, but he knew it wasn't that. His marriage to Rachel had been a piece of paper to keep the child they'd made from being born out of wedlock. To save Rachel from the stigma of having a baby without a husband. Nothing more. He'd never worn a ring. Never lived with her. He was deployed for most of their marriage. Little more than a name on some papers and financial support.

Nothing with Stephanie could ever be that detached. He'd passed that possibility a long time ago.

He studied her for a minute before he set his coffee on the kitchen counter. He took her untouched cup from her hands and set it beside his. "Babe, I can smell your thoughts burning. That's not a good sign. I don't suppose there's any chance we can go back to the way things were last night?"

"I don't know."

He pulled her closer. "We could find something else to talk about. Live life one day at a time."

"Is that what you do?"

"It's what I have to do."

"Why?"

Ranger was starting to regret getting up this morning. "You're not going to drop this, are you?"

She was chewing on her bottom lip, staring at his chin.

He drew in a deep breath and let it out in a silent sigh. "This is why I can't do relationships."

"Because women ask too many questions?"

"Yes. And because the price of emotional intimacy is too high. Steph, there are parts of my life I'm not proud of. Things I've done that have seriously damaged my karma. It's hard to have a relationship with something like that hanging between you."

"It wouldn't have to. Maybe it would be healthy to talk about it."

"Healthy or no. Just because I have to live with it doesn't mean you have to."

"So your plan is to go through life never letting anybody in? That sounds kind of lonely."

"It's all I'm capable of right now."

She thought about that while she stared down at his chest. "What about later."

"There might not be a later."

"That's depressing."

A smile tried to surface, but it was thin. Sad. "It's the way it is."

When she didn't respond he lifted her chin until he could see her clear, vibrant eyes. He leaned toward her an inch to give her a chance to pull back. The kiss he gave her was gentle and soft.

"So what did you have in mind today?"

"I don't know. They might be planning to go snorkeling. Or hike Diamondhead."

His eyebrow raised a fraction. "You really want to hike Diamondhead?"

"No."

The smile wasn't thin this time. "Snorkeling it is."

He kissed her once more, with a little more passion this time, and went to get dressed. He closed the door when he walked into the bedroom to give her space. The pressure had gotten to her again, seemingly from nowhere. Only one thing had changed. It seemed making love without protection had been enough to put worries in her head. Enough to remind her that their relationship wasn't normal.

Going without had been her idea. He'd jumped on board with both feet, but it had started out in her court. Maybe if they went back to using raincoats she'd calm down.

He reached into his suitcase and the dark band on his left hand caught his eye. The wedding ring. He was still wearing it. Usually he took it off the second they got back. Set it on the bedside table next to his gun. But last night he'd forgotten. Hadn't even felt it. Not while they were stalking fugitives together. Not while they were making love with all the intimacy and tenderness of a real relationship. At some point last night, he'd forgotten that Steph wasn't his to keep.

No wonder she'd freaked out.

o o o

They picked up a quick breakfast on the way out of the resort. A few words to the concierge and the valet pulled the Cayman up to the sliding glass doors. The young man hopped out of the sports car and hurried around to open Steph's door for her, his eyes staying on her just a little longer than they probably should have. Steph was looking pretty hot in her tank top and shorts, the bright red outline of her bikini showing through her pink shirt.

He tried not to focus too hard on the uncomfortable feelings that stoked in his body. He didn't have any right to be jealous or possessive. She was only his until they went back to Trenton. Then she'd belong to Morelli again. Something he needed to remember.

He slid into the car next to her and put it in gear. The second they were away from the hotel he pulled the black wedding ring off and dropped it into his pocket. With any luck, his bare finger would remind both of them that things weren't meant to be so serious between them.

"Silvio's report was in my inbox this morning," he said to break the silence. "Seems the couple calling themselves Terron are scheduled to stay another five days. The identities are thin. Probably manufactured. I'm thinking we've found our man."

"You knew all that first thing this morning? Why didn't you say anything?"

"It wasn't time sensitive, and I was planning to get you in bed again before you had a chance to get distracted," he said, his eyes still on the road. Hadn't exactly worked out the way he'd hoped. Maybe if he'd told her earlier, things wouldn't have strayed so far off stable ground.

Steph was unusually quiet on the drive to Hanauma Bay. Must have been lost in her own thoughts. She brightened, though, when they caught their first glimpse of the horseshoe shaped bay. The water was glistening in the morning sun. The beach already populated. Ranger pulled into a parking spot overlooking the beach and angled out of the car.

He opened the trunk and retrieved the black bag Noah had tucked into the corner of the trunk. He wasn't sure how Noah had been able to get into the parking structure at the hotel in the time it had taken him and Stephanie to get breakfast. Noah always was resourceful.

He opened Steph's door and offered her a hand to help her out.

Steph tried to take a detour on the way down the long paved road to the beach. He caught her around the waist. "Where do you think you're going?"

"To rent a snorkel."

"Already taken care of."

She shot him a doubting look. "Are you saying you thought far enough ahead to have it on the list? Or is Noah actually magic?"

A half smile lifted his mouth. "One of the rare mysteries of life."

He led her to the southern end of the beach. There were few people there. Most of them wanted to be close to the road. He figured the fewer people around them, the easier it would be to control the environment.

He gave Steph one of the black beach towels and they spread them out. He gave the rest of the bag to her. She looked surprised when she pulled out the blue mask. It had a bright, neon yellow snorkel, just like he'd asked for. It was so glaringly bright that he would have been able to pick it out of the water from several hundred feet away.

Steph raised an eyebrow and cut her eyes to him. Probably thought it was going to be black. "Let me guess. So it's easier to keep track of me in the waves?"

He almost smiled. She caught on pretty quick.

"Where's yours?"

"I've seen fish before."

"Now who's the smartass?"

That brought out a full on smile.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

Part of him wondered, while he watched the bright yellow tip of snorkel sticking up out of the water, if he should have gone out into the waves with her. He'd resisted the temptation. Mostly because it was difficult to stay vigilant when he was with her. It was too easy to focus on Stephanie. Not a big deal when they were alone, sequestered in the little cottage where he could let his guard down. Out here it was different. Too many things could go wrong, especially in the middle of a man hunt. And even though they were far from most of his enemies, that didn't by any stretch mean that they were safe. Even with Noah watching their backs from somewhere nearby, Ranger still didn't want to put himself in a position to be vulnerable.

No matter how much he wanted to watch Steph's face light up while she swam around in that tiny red bikini.

She came running up the beach like she'd heard his thoughts, that infectious, bright smile all over her face. Her smooth white skin had a little more color. Warming into a creamy tan. She looked relaxed and happy.

She tossed the mask down and flopped back onto the towel beside him. Flecks of ocean water hit him when her curls swung out behind her. "Having fun?"

His dark eyes scanned her body from behind his sunglasses. She wasn't all that tall, but she was lean and long when she laid out on her back like that, her gentle curves only barely hidden by the little triangles of red. "I have my moments. You about done?"

"I think so. I could use some lunch."

Lunch sounded good to him. Maybe after a nice, relaxed day she'd be able to let go of her issues again and they could enjoy the rest of their time together. He knew it was selfish, but he liked having her to himself more than he wanted to admit.

He pushed the thought away before it could take root. No good would come of that either.

Steph waited until she was mostly dry before she started getting dressed. He rolled up the towels and tucked them back into the bag. Led the way toward the paved road that would take them to the parking lot.

Then Steph stopped breathing. Ranger saw it too. The ugly orange and lime green shirt was ahead of them, wearing a guy who was about 5'9", 180lbs. His black hair was streaked with silver under his white fedora, likely placing him somewhere in the range of mid forties. He fit the description of Simon Ruguzzi from the bond agreement. Mostly. Might have put on a little weight while on the lam.

"Are you seeing what I'm seeing?" Steph said. Her terrier instincts were kicking in. If he didn't pull her back, she was gonna barrel toward this guy with prejudice. Might be entertaining to watch, but it would put him on a plane before the day was out, and as unfair as it was, he wasn't ready to leave her yet.

"Could be a coincidence," he said.

"How many losers own a shirt that ugly?"

That made him want to smile. "Babe. Have you looked around much?"

She rolled her eyes, but she couldn't deny it. The entire beach was covered in bright shirts. "Not everyone can be Batman," she said, scanning the beach around the guy in the gaudy orange and green. No sign of Tootie. "I've gotta get a better look."

She started for him and Ranger caught her, holding her back. "This isn't an ideal environment. Too many people in the way and he's heading the wrong direction. You'd have to run to catch up, or get him to turn around somehow. Either one would call too much attention. There's no need to rush. We've got four more days."

"I know, but—"

"Babe."

"I'll be careful!"

He only stared at her through his black sunglasses. She wasn't capable of being careful and they both knew it. She narrowed her eyes in an attempt at stern indignation.

"You're not the boss of me."

"I'm frequently the boss of you."

"Yeah, but not today."

"You're being difficult again."

"Deal with it."

He raised an eyebrow. She really could be a pain in the ass sometimes. It was a turn on, but that didn't make it any less frustrating. She was like this when she worked for Rangeman too. Didn't like submitting to authority. Though, she usually had a task she could focus those energies on at Rangeman. It kept her from all out insubordination. This was the first time he'd ever held her back on purpose. She could sense it, too. He could see it in her face that she knew if she didn't obey, he would throw her over his shoulder like a caveman and drag her ass back to the car.

A flash of realization hit her and she took a giant step back without looking, landing right into a crowded spot filled with tourists. She tripped backwards over their cooler and crashed through the beach umbrella, taking it down with her in a mess of bent metal and torn fabric. He found her arm as quickly as he could. She was in a trance staring after The Rug's shadow. Didn't even notice that she was bleeding.

He was getting a lot of angry looks from the vacationers. "I'm sorry. She's not feeling well. Got too much sun. I was trying to take her home so I could put her to bed."

That stuck enough that they didn't make an issue when he whisked Steph away up the beach.

o o o

He cleaned her up as best he could with the first aid kit in the glove compartment. She had a twelve inch incision on her side, stretching from just under her bikini to her waistline. One of the stretchers had broken when she crashed through the umbrella. Sliced right into her. It wasn't very deep, but he never liked it when she was bleeding. It put him in a sour mood.

She was defiant on the drive back to Honolulu. The car filled with awkward silence. Usually Ranger liked silence. But not like this. The energy between them wasn't comfortable. And it definitely wasn't sexy. Steph crossed her arms, casting him an angry look, daring him to say something. He just kept driving.

"I was trying to do my job," she finally said.

"I'm not arguing that."

"Then what's your problem?"

His eyes were still hidden behind his sunglasses, fixed on the road ahead. Trying to keep his annoyance in check. "My problem is that you let your anger at me cloud your judgment."

"I'm not angry at you and my judgment isn't clouded. I saw an opportunity and I took it. Simple as that."

"After I told you why it wasn't a good idea."

"I could have ID'd him."

"And what would that get us? There are less intrusive ways to confirm his identity. What you wanted to do was risky with a high possibility of failure and you tried to go through with it anyway because I told you not to. Power plays between us are usually about your independence, not the job."

Even as he said it, he knew that was only part of the problem. It wasn't just that he was annoyed at her for defying him. He was annoyed at himself.

He knew what this was. At no point had he intended to delude himself that what was happening between them was any more than the fulfillment of sexual tension. He should have been more detached than this. And he was angry at himself that he wasn't. He was supposed to be a professional, and no matter what his personal feelings were, this was supposed to be a job. He was the one who decided playing house was more important than catching their target. Regardless of what was good for her.

And what should have made him even more ashamed was that he didn't have any intention of changing. If he was a good guy, he would have stepped back a long time ago. Let her throw her lot all in with Morelli so that she could have at least a chance at being happy. But like a rat with his treasure, he'd kept after her. Dogging her trail and stealing kisses to remind her of the power between them. Unable to let her go because she'd burrowed so deep under his skin.

He'd convinced himself that as long as she still wanted him, he was justified in pursuing her. Because he was just trying to give her what she really wanted. Truth was, he didn't know what she really wanted. He only knew what he wanted. And he wanted her. Come hell or high water.

The hell part was probably a certainty at this point, anyway.

"I know what I'm doing," she said, cutting through his thoughts.

Ranger glanced at her with a stern expression before he turned back to the road. "So do I." God help him. She deserved better.

Steph slumped back in her seat, some of her fight gone. Whatever was going through her head was stealing away her fire. Probably convincing herself, against her instincts, that he was right. She was too stubborn to admit it, but she knew above all, he wanted to protect her. At least from everyone but himself. "It wasn't that risky," she said, not entirely meaning it.

He cut a brief glance at her. "Tell that to the foot long gash in your side."

And there it was. The last blow to undermine her doubts. He saw it when she gave in. It should have made him feel like a tool. But then, you have to still have a conscience for that.

He pulled into a parking spot near a two story shopping center in Honolulu and shut the car off. He looked her over. "You're going to need some new clothes. If I try to take you anywhere covered in that much blood we're going to attract attention. There's an ABC store on the corner that should have something passable."

"Or I could go up there and get something better than passable," she said, pointing at the building ahead. There was a women's clothing store on the second floor, next to a Chinese buffet. The building itself was built into the side of a paved hill. Parking on the second level assessable by a steep driveway. The clothes in the boutique were probably nicer that what she'd find in the corner convenience store. He shrugged his indifference and angled out of the car.

He started around the back to open her door and a sound caught his attention. The chatter of an undertuned engine coming toward them at a faster rate than any of the other cars. Tires chirped. He looked up and saw a rusted out Ford Taurus blow through the intersection, heading straight for them. He moved to her passenger side door in an instant and snatched her hand out of the air with unnatural accuracy, lifting her out of the car just as the Taurus smashed into the Cayman.

He was holding Steph's back against his chest, an arm around her waist. Her feet dangling. She was hardly breathing, but she wasn't hurt. He set her on her feet and went to the driver's side of the Taurus. He wrenched the metal open without thought and dragged the man out by the front of his shirt. He slammed him into the side of the car before he dropped him to the ground. He wanted to strangle him. Break his scrawny, worthless neck for what might have happened.

He held back. Snapped the cuffs on him and threw him up onto the curb.

Ranger drew in a deep breath and stood still a moment with hands on hips, watching when the ruptured fuel line caught a spark from the engine and flames started up from the piece of shit's undercarriage. It spread quickly, blackening the Taurus until it was hard to tell where it melded with the exterior of the Cayman.

He felt it when Steph's energy moved up beside him. It was soothing in a way he'd always appreciated. "Bummer," she said, resolving the rest of his tension. He almost smiled.

"Yeah." He looked at her out of the side of his eye. Sirens were growing in the distance. This was going to get messy. Cleaning up after Steph's bad karma in Trenton was a little easier. She had a reputation there. People had come to expect a certain amount of carnage when she was involved. Here, she was a whole new oddity. "You go on ahead. This might take a while to sort out. I'll catch up to you when I'm through here."

"You sure?"

He nodded. There was no guarantee of how this would play out. It wasn't likely there would be an issue, but just in case someone noticed he was carrying, he didn't want any of this shit to blow back on her. And Noah would be nearby to look out for her, he was sure of it. Drawn to the spectacle like everyone else.

Steph didn't need any further encouragement. She backed away from the swelling heat, watching from a distance while the blue and whites pulled up with the fire engine and ambulance.

A crowd had gathered to watch the cars burn. Guess this didn't happen as often in Honolulu as it did in Trenton. Meet Stephanie Plum, boys. She'll be here all week. He fought a smirk.

"Something funny?" the nearest cop asked him. He was a disgruntled looking guy. Mid thirties. Had something about him that said busted-down-to-beat-cop.

Ranger let the smile win. "There's all kinds of funny in life, if you know where to look."

People at the far end of the crowd started to gasp, parting like the red sea for a battered dumpster. The thing crashed into the pile of twisted metal, shoving the whole mess back several feet and dumping a shitload of garbage onto the inferno.

Ranger pulled his phone out of his pocket while the uniforms collected their jaws off the ground.

 _Got her?_

 _Yes. Watch your 6._ Noah texted back. Smartass.

He texted Rico too, letting him know what happened to the Cayman. He'd made the arrangements. He'd need to handle the paperwork once they were finished at the scene. He would also be bringing the backup plan.

Steph was still looking over shoes when he got up to the little clothing store. Noah was standing at ease by the front door, ignoring the nervous looks from the shop attendant. "Do I need to know about the dumpster?" Ranger asked him.

"You know as much as I do, and I was standing right next to her. You're gonna have your hands full with that one. I wish you luck, though. I just hope you know what you're getting into."

Ranger raised an eyebrow, but didn't answer. Noah was a good detective. Thorough. Didn't miss much. Obviously he'd seen the ring. Probably figured out it was a recent acquisition. Steph hadn't taken it off once since he'd slid it on her finger that first day. He sometimes wondered if it would be better for them if she did. Take some of the pressure off. He just couldn't bring himself to suggest it.

Ranger dismissed Noah without correcting him. People usually thought what they wanted. There wasn't any point in confirming or denying things that weren't their business.

Ranger handed the shop attendant his credit card. "Find everything you need?" he asked Steph.

"Yes. What happened with the car?"

"It's not so much a car anymore as it is a scrap metal sculpture."

"That's too bad. It was sexy."

The corner of Ranger's mouth lifted. "Sexier than the 911?"

"It was up there."

He smiled. Steph really liked the 911. The atmosphere was charged every time they were in it together. And when she'd climbed on top on him, one knee on the console, one foot on the ground through the open door, he'd held on tight and given over to her completely.

"Why don't you get changed and we'll grab some lunch," he said, controlling his body.

She took her new clothes into the dressing room. He thought about following her. He could do a lot in a space like that. But even if he knew she'd be excited about the prospect, they were the only people in the shop. Steph might not appreciate the attendant knowing her personal business.

It suddenly seemed like a missed opportunity when she came back out in a thin blue dress the color of her eyes. It had a deep neckline that showed off her breasts, a hint of black lace peeking along the edge. The skirt came down to her knees, but it had a flow to it. Like if she spun in a circle, it would lift clear up to her thighs.

He looked her over carefully. "Sexy."

"You like the dress?"

"The dress is nice too," he said, gesturing toward the door. He kept a hand at her waist all the way down the stairs. A pristine black Porsche 911 Turbo was parked in a spot by the planter boxes.

"What's this?"

"Plan B."

"How did you get a new one so fast?"

"I had Rico drive it over. He'd planned for another Cayman, but you said you liked the 911."

"You telling me you had a second car on standby?"

"Babe, you go through cars like most people go through shirts. They've caught fire, been exploded by rockets, and one was even flattened by a garbage truck."

"That wasn't my fault."

"Of course it wasn't. But that doesn't change the fact that I've lost more cars to you than all my men combined. Times five. Seemed like a smart move to plan for the inevitable."

"That's really funny. You're hilarious."

He grinned.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

Lunch was quiet. The delicatessen not overly crowded. Steph had a healthy appetite, like always. Packing away more food than most girls would have in front of a man they were sleeping with. But then, Steph was never the type to worry too much. She did what she wanted. Did what felt good. He envied her sometimes the way she let go. Unbridled. Free. He'd had to learn the hard way to maintain constant control. Things went south real quick when he didn't.

After lunch, they took a slow walk along the beach, listening to the waves and feeling the ocean breeze. She relaxed even more. Lulled into calm by the Zen influence of the island. He slipped his hand around hers and felt her pulse. Slow and even.

She pointed out a little pink ice cream shop on the way back to the car. Lit up a little. It was cute.

"Are you saying you want ice cream?" he asked her.

She looked at him with a little smile. "I don't _not_ want ice cream."

Of course. When had Steph ever not wanted ice cream? He let the corner of his mouth lift.

A bell rang over the shop door to announce their entrance. Ranger hung back while she looked over the flavors. There were a few messages on his phone. A text from Noah about the driver of the Taurus that had almost taken out Stephanie. Another from Rico telling him the issues with the car were resolved and he was relieving Noah at the hospital. And an email from Silvio.

That one was more helpful. Detailed the itinerary of Martin Terron, including counseling classes, prepaid excursions, and restaurant reservations. They'd have no problem getting eyes on the guy. Not that he felt it was really necessary. That was more for Stephanie. He'd been sure of Ruguzzi ever since he saw the silencer.

Steph took the cone offered by the little old woman behind the counter and wandered over to him, running her tongue along the side in a way that made him wonder if she knew how sexy it was. He slid the phone back into his pocket. "Got a hit. Terron made reservations for the resort's beach front restaurant tonight at six. I booked us a table."

She looked down at her watch. "That's cutting it a little close. I still have to get ready."

"You'll have to get ready before we head back. We're going straight to the restaurant."

"But I need to take a shower. I've been swimming in the ocean. My hair's all salty and gross."

"Babe, if we go back to the cottage so you can take a shower, I have no intention of letting you get dressed again."

It had mostly been a feeler. Meant to take the temperature of her reaction. There was a little temptation there, but mostly he'd seen reserve. She wasn't ready yet. She ate her ice cream and headed into the bathroom to clean up.

The old woman behind the counter smiled at him. Genuine and friendly. Most people used to avoid looking at him. They'd glance his way and skirt their eyes around the space he occupied like they thought it would avoid them trouble. Something about being seen with Steph had made him more accessible. Less intimidating.

Maybe he was getting soft.

His phone buzzed in his pocket. Rico. He answered it.

"Hey boss. Just thought you'd like to know they released Derek MacDonald from the hospital. Minor bruising, a few scrapes, but nothing serious. He was high as a kite, though. The police took him into custody a few minutes ago. You want me to have them press charges?"

"Yes." He wanted them to do more than that, but he didn't think it would help his karma much to wish ill on the guy just because his brainless stupidity almost caused grave bodily harm to someone he cared about. If Steph had actually been hurt, it might have been a different story. "See it through. It wouldn't be good for this guy to be on the street." Ranger wasn't sure if he'd be able to hold back twice.

"You got it. How's your girl doin'?"

"She's fine."

"That's what I heard," Rico said with obvious grin.

The bathroom door opened again and Steph stepped out. The unruly frizz that had been taking over her curls had tamed somewhat, her eyes more defined. He took another look at the dress. Rico was right. She was fine.

"From what I hear, she's got a lot of fire too. Stood up to Noah even when he was doing his badass bodyguard routine. No fear. You got an interesting girl there. As long as you can keep her away from runaway dumpsters."

Ranger smiled at that and disconnected. He slipped an arm around her waist. "Ready to go?"

"Sure. What was that about?"

"Rico was just giving me an update on the driver of the Taurus. They've cleared him for injuries at the hospital. He's being booked for driving under the influence and reckless endangerment."

"Is that what the smile was about?"

"No. The smile was because Rico made a crack about the dumpster."

"It wasn't my fault."

"It never is."

"Noah thinks we're engaged, by the way."

"I got that impression."

"And?"

"He wished me luck and said 'I hope you know what you're getting into.'"

"Everyone's a comedian."

o o o

The resort's beach front restaurant was a nightmare from a security standpoint. Three out of four walls were nothing more than canvass curtains. Easy to come and go. No real way to control the flow of traffic. It was highly rated, though. People liked the atmosphere of being right on the beach. Liked that the floor was made of sand and that they could hear the ocean.

Ranger spoke to the hostess and requested a table on the single wall that separated the restaurant from the kitchen. It wasn't hard to arrange. Most patrons wanted the outskirts, where they could smell the breeze and watch the tide coming in. After a quick conversation, she brought them to a table right next to the kitchen door.

Steph wasn't paying attention when the waitress came to take their order. She was too busy watching the entrances. Waiting for Ruguzzi. Ranger knew what she was likely to order anyway. He watched the waitress head into the kitchen and then reached for Steph's hand.

"He's not going to show any faster just because you stare."

"I don't want to miss him."

"We won't. Trust me. Even if he doesn't wear that god-awful shirt."

"I thought it was kind of classy."

"Babe."

She gave him an innocent expression. He shook his head at her, fighting a smile.

She went back to watching the room, so focused that she hadn't noticed his attention stayed on her. He watched the fractional movements in her expression while she swayed from frustrated to hopeful every time someone new arrived. She wanted to catch Ruguzzi bad. He wondered if it had anything to do with getting rid of him. It was certainly possible. Not because she didn't enjoy his company, but because she wasn't comfortable straying so far from her moral center. Even less comfortable with liking it. Mostly, though, he thought it was just her natural instincts. Steph had a compulsive need to uncover the truth, and she didn't really have an off switch.

He admired that, despite the trouble it caused him. It made it harder to protect her. But it was also one of the things that set her apart. Made her worth the trouble.

The food came out of the kitchen and Steph's eyes warmed when she saw that he'd ordered her a little brick oven pizza. Steph loved pizza. This one was probably a little healthier than what she usually got back in Trenton, but she seemed happy all the same.

It didn't take her long to finish it. She looked down at her watch. "It's almost seven. Think they're a no show?"

"It's possible." Not that he'd been paying any attention to the room beyond security.

Steph blew out a sigh of frustration. Probably started thinking about dessert. And then she went still. She'd seen something. Ranger followed her eyes and saw a man standing with his back to them while he seated a white fedora onto his dark hair. No orange or lime green, but the cream colored shirt he was wearing hung on the same frame from the beach. She'd spotted her man.

She pushed back from the table. "I'll be right back."

He wondered if he should caution her. She wasn't likely to attempt a takedown in the crowded restaurant. Not wearing that dress. Probably just wanted to skirt by his table to get a look at his face. Not a huge risk unless The Rug caught her staring, and Steph was good enough at her job not to make a rookie move like that.

She stepped into the line of traffic in front of the kitchen door. And then, against all odds, she ended up sandwiched between another diner and the kitchen door right when a waiter came through it carrying a full tray. The waiter crashed into Steph, shoving her into the man in front of her, and they all went down in a pile, the entire tray dumping over her and only her. It was such a bizarre spectacle that Ranger burst out laughing. He reached into the pile and found her hand, pulling her onto her feet. There was spaghetti in her hair. Flowing down her shoulders. Her back was soaked with hot soup and there was an entire piece of chocolate cake pressed into her cleavage. He grinned. "Babe. You're an accident waiting to happen today."

Stephanie was stunned. Staring around the room in a daze. This kind of thing happened to her all the time. It boggled his mind how often. He'd seen her roll in garbage, get covered in sauerkraut and pickle juice, get shot with neon paint. He'd even been standing next to her and miraculously came out unscathed because she'd attracted it all like magic.

Her bottom lip folded in and he realized she was close to tears.

He didn't have a lot of tender feelings, but the ones he did have always surfaced when Steph started to cry. He picked up the cloth napkin from the table and cleaned off the worst of it before he cradled her into his chest. "You're okay. You've had worse."

"You would think that would make it easier, but it doesn't. I'm a disaster!"

Ranger tried to keep from laughing and failed. "Only a little bit."

He tried to wipe her tears away but more kept coming, a steady stream falling down her cheeks. There was no stopping it. He just wrapped her in his arms and held her close, sheltering her from the reproachful stares of the people around them. "It's alright. It's just a little spaghetti. We'll take you home and scrub you down and you'll be good as new," he said, stroking her soggy back. He knew he was probably getting some of the chaos on his clothes, but he didn't care. He looked down her body and then kissed the top of her head, hiding a smile. "Maybe not the dress."

As if she hadn't realized the extent of the damage, she dropped her eyes to the dark chocolate stains that painted her breasts. Any composure she might have been holding onto dissolved. "You just bought this dress," she bawled.

Ranger couldn't hold in the smile. "It's just a dress, Babe. I'll buy you another one."

Those tear-stained blue eyes of hers found him, her lip trembling. A little reminder that she wasn't the jaded, cold professional she ought to be. It was moments like this that made his chest warm. Filled with an energy he couldn't define. He leaned down and kissed her trembling lip.

He gave the waiter his credit card with a look that encouraged expedience, ignoring the apologies. He did his best to calm her down. It took some more kisses and whispered words, but by the time the waiter was back, she was hardly crying anymore. He picked up her bag and slung an arm around her neck, guiding her toward the exit.

She kept scanning the crowd, aware of the fact that people were still staring. "Do I look that bad?"

"No worse than you'd expect," he said, looking down at her breasts. "But I do admit I'm starting to get a craving for chocolate cake."

o o o

He watched her with morbid fascination the whole way home. The thin dress was almost transparent in places, even when the soup started to dry, showing the lines of her black lace bra through the fabric. When he opened the door for her, she was scuttling in an effort to keep it off her skin. It was pretty adorable.

He turned on the tap for her in the shower and stepping into the bedroom to put his gun on the bedside table. He knew something was off the second he crossed the threshold. The room had been disturbed. Not only had their suitcases been opened and the dresser drawers gone through, but the entire room had a vibe about it that screamed intruder. He'd have felt it the second they stepped into the cottage if he hadn't been focused on Steph. If the intruder had still been here, he might not have reacted fast enough. A possibility that upset him more than the violation.

He felt it when she came up behind him. "What is it?" she asked, and then she went still. She could sense it too. Good girl. "Someone has been in here."

Ranger stalked into the room. Didn't look like there was a single personal item that had been left unexamined, but nothing was missing.

"Think it was maid service?" she asked, but the hopeful air was thin. She already knew the answer.

"Maid service doesn't go through your belongings. Someone searched our room."

He looked over at her and saw her staring. Her wide eyes holding his. She looked like she might be sick.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

"You don't think…" she tried to say, but the words tasted sour. She was thinking of The Rug.

"I don't see how he'd know we were here, let alone where we were staying."

"You really think The Rug searched our room? What would he be looking for?"

"Same thing we were when we searched his. Identification."

"Do you think we blew our cover?"

She meant did _she_ blow their cover. Kicking herself for causing a scene at the beach. Not that it had been her fault. If he'd let her tackle The Rug like she wanted, he would have been in custody instead of violating their personal space. Missing out on a few extra days of sex with Steph suddenly seemed like a fair trade if playing shadow games was going to put her in danger.

Ranger studied the room again, taking in more details. Something wasn't adding up.

"I doubt it. I don't leave a lot behind when we go out. Nothing incriminating. And the place wasn't tossed. This was a methodical search. Not meant to be noticed. If it was really The Rug, and he was suspicious, he'd have done something more obvious. Leave a calling card to scare us off, or lay in wait for us to return. It's more his style."

She swallowed hard. Trying desperately to keep her fear to herself. Probably thought that since he wasn't showing any that it would make her seem wimpy to admit she was afraid. Completely glossing over the fact that he wasn't normal.

Steph was brave in a lot of ways. Brave enough to do a job every day that most rational adults wouldn't have the nerve to try for an hour. Facing down bad guys who have done terrible things, who could do terrible things to her. She didn't always realize it, but Steph was one of the bravest people he knew. Because she was afraid all the time and she did the job anyway. Liked it, even.

The fact that she had a tendency to cut and run sometimes was just an indication of her interest in living longer.

"So what do we do now?" she asked, hiding behind her bravado.

Ranger shrugged. "Not much _to_ do. We'll just have to be more vigilant. Make a plan to take him down sooner than expected. Preferably when he's not likely to be armed."

"Like on his way into the airport? Or at the beach?"

"Babe, I'm armed at the beach. Chances are good he is too."

"How are you not freaked out about this?"

"It wouldn't be a productive use of my energies. Besides. All we know for certain is that someone looked through our things. We don't have any proof it was The Rug."

"Oh good. Glad we cleared that up."

Ranger held onto his smile. The sarcasm got stronger when she was upset. He closed the distance between them and wrapped an arm around her, kissing her just above her ear. "Take a shower. Let me worry about this."

He could still see her unease, but she nodded obediently and headed into the bathroom. He watched her go until she vanished behind the door and he heard water flowing. Then he turned back to the room.

There was a moment where he struggled to suppress his anger.

It wasn't just that their space had been violated. It was that it had made her afraid. She was supposed to feel safe here. Loved here. If The Rug had taken that away from her, he wasn't going to like the consequences. Ranger had had some dark years. Years where he'd done things that made even the shadows afraid of him. He'd spent a lot of time and effort since trying to find his way back. Fighting to find something like civility again. Make up for the damage he'd done to himself and to others.

He tried very hard not to hurt people anymore, but that didn't remove the fact that it had once been his default setting.

He slowed his breathing and willed the wrath back into its place until his heart rate was slow and even again. Wrath wouldn't be productive, either. It shortened thinking. Made him reckless. Something he couldn't afford to be ever again.

He detached his emotions and looked at the room with a professional eye. Searched the suitcases first. They'd been riffled through, but not by an expert. Not even by a novice. This had amateur written all over it. The intruder had sifted through the clothes, but hadn't looked inside the shoes. Gone through the outer pockets, but hadn't searched the lining. Ranger was smart enough not to leave important information behind. Even the nylon webbed gun belt that he left in the top dresser drawer looked benign without the holster attached. Someone might question why he'd need such a big flashlight, but it wasn't something that would garner suspicion.

Silvio was still at home when he called. "Something wrong?"

"Yes. Someone gained access to my room. Where are you on breaking into the security feed?"

It had been among the first things he'd asked for. It would have made finding The Rug easy. There were cameras hidden in the public areas throughout the resort. He'd seen them tucked discreetly into the corners at the restaurants, and over the archways that divided one area of the resort from another. It would have allowed hotel security, and anyone who could tap the feed, the ability to track a single person as long as they were on the public walkways.

Silvio shifted. Powering up his computer. Might not have been awake a minute ago. "I have a worm working its way into their system, but it hasn't found access to the security feeds yet. I was able to strip down the central mainframe because it's connected to the online booking registry and had only a moderate level of encryption. I'm still working on the rest."

"Work faster. It was just a convenience before, but now it's a necessity. I'd like to know who had the balls to break into my space. And I'd like to be able to track his movements."

"I'm on it."

Ranger heard the tap shut off. He disconnected. Steph was standing in the doorway behind him when he set the phone down on the bedside table next to his gun and his wedding ring. "I've got Silvio working on getting access to the hotel's security feed. I saw some cameras hidden in the foliage near the arbors. Might be able to identify the intruder. Or at the very least put a man on the monitor to make sure it doesn't happen again."

"If you say so."

Some of her strength had come back. Must be feeling better now that she wasn't covered in soup. He turned to look at her. Her damp chestnut waves were raven around her face, her fair skin pink and scrubs and soft. She'd put on a fluffy white hotel robe. The collar pushed up around her neck and trailed down into a V over her breasts. Settling into her waist to highlight her curves. Her skin would be soft inside it, too. Warming under his lips when he tugged the belt open and explored every inch of her again like he had so many times already.

He stalked toward her and she shifted on her feet. "I've been thinking," she tried to say. Didn't stop his progress. She tensed. He knew it wasn't from fear. The change in her breathing told him her heart had started pounding. Her lips turning moist as she watched his mouth. She was getting turned on despite her every effort. "Are you listening to me?"

"Not even a little bit," he said, and then he backed her against the wall and kissed her. He'd mostly been teasing. Mostly. Though as she opened up to him he had to admit his listening skills dropped considerably. The electricity shot between them and he felt her tremble. She made a little whimper against his mouth. Knowing the pleasure that was coming. He hooked a finger into her belt and pulled until it came loose, letting the robe fall open just enough to give him a glimpse of her.

"Wait," she gasped in a breathless way that made him hard. His hands were inside the robe already, skating over her stomach on their way to her ribs.

He drew back a fraction with a light smile, his lips still brushing hers, drawing out the anticipation. "What am I waiting for?" he asked, teasing her some more.

She melted into the wall and her eyes fluttered shut. He loved the way she turned to putty when he touched her. Steph was so fierce and independent. Hard-headed, in fact. Watching her turn pliant for him was even more arousing than the soft skin and entrancing blue eyes. He brushed across her breasts, his thumbs following the peeks of her tight nipples, and she nearly burst into flames.

And then she shuttered. The playing gone. "I'm having trouble with this," she admitted.

He paused. "With what?"

"With this. Whatever this is. I'm not good at it. I know you can compartmentalize and do emotional distance, but I can't. I'm not built that way. So I'm having trouble with the whole fun now no future thing, and it's messing with my head."

Of course it was. She was a good girl. Good girls needed more than affection and sexual release. He pulled back enough to look into her eyes. Doubt. Unease. Self preservation. He drew in an even breath. He knew what was coming. "And?"

"And I need a minute."

He let the breath out in a silent sigh and took a step back, watching with longing as she retied the robe. He always knew this would be a problem. From the first time he ever considered getting her naked. It was the biggest reason he fought it for so long. Steph wasn't the torrid affair type. Steph was the marrying type. The kind of girl you hold onto. Promise to love and protect. The kind of girl who wants to share her life with someone who can wrap around her completely. Someone she can trust. Have complete faith in. Share a soul with.

And that wasn't him.

He could bring himself to admit that he wanted her. And not just her body. He wanted her time and attention too. Her faith and her trust. Whether he would ever deserve it was debatable, but that didn't stop him from trying. And he knew that he didn't want to share her.

If he ever gave into his selfish impulses, he would make her his in a heartbeat. In fact, if he had his way they would already be living together in his apartment at Rangeman. Hell, anywhere, as long as she was his. But it would still be only half a relationship. Because while she could share her entire soul with him, there were dark corners of his that he couldn't ever give her. Shining her light on them would only make her afraid of him.

He watched her thoughts moving across her face. She still wanted him. And that made her sad.

She finally looked away. "I'm going to bed. I'm exhausted."

"What about the minute?"

"I'll deal with the minute tomorrow."

He couldn't pull his eyes away as she wandered over to her suitcase and pulled out an old t-shirt and a pair of black underwear. She was self-conscious with him watching, but he couldn't look away. He could have pressed her. Talked her into ignoring her conscience so that he could make her feel good, if only for a little while.

He didn't.

ooo

The sun was still down when he woke beside her the next morning, her warmth radiating through his body. It was nice. Sometimes it was easy to forget what real intimacy was like when he was alone in his solitary life. Before Steph had started sleeping in his bed sometimes, he used to limit himself to a few hours at most when he was with a woman. Just enough time to satisfy their urges and move on. On the rare occasions that he'd stay and fall asleep, his habit of early rising always saved him the awkward shuffle of the morning after.

Not that any of the women he'd chosen would expect him to stay for breakfast. He would have never aligned himself with someone who was interested in more than casual sex.

It was different with Steph for a few reasons. Not the least of which being that for a long time after that first night, sharing a bed with Stephanie hadn't involved anything but sleeping. He might have tried several times to change that. Nearly succeeded, too. But even without it, having her lay beside him was comfortable in a way he couldn't explain. They had a companionable relationship. One that engendered affection and genuine feelings. Even without the sex.

In fact after a while, his big king-sized bed with the expensive Egyptian cotton sheets had started to feel cold and empty without her.

He curled an arm around her and settled her back into his chest. Her heat warming him. Filling him with that unknowable energy again. It was a sensation he liked. And that was a little scary.

He lay next to her for a long time until the sun rose and it started getting harder to control himself. If he didn't get out of the bed, he was going to start touching her until she was awake and eager. He knew she'd be receptive. Until after. Then she would pull back even further. That was her MO. It was why he was so careful not to push her when she was conflicted, no matter how much she wanted him. Steph was too skittish. As much as she would enjoy it, seducing her when she wasn't ready wouldn't bring her closer. It would make her shy away.

Ranger got up and went into the kitchen. On a normal day, he would head to the gym. After last night, that didn't seem like a good idea.

He had some serious doubts that it was The Rug who had searched their bedroom. It just didn't ring right. The Rug was a professional. True, most of that profession was putting bullets in people, but he had a long history of it. Ranger knew from experience that a lot of wet work involved staying in the shadows. Hunting down your target with accuracy while making sure that no trace of you is ever found. Assassins who bungled a simple search weren't likely to live long enough to get good at their jobs. And while it was true that The Rug had a history of grandstanding for intimidation purposes, this didn't have his touch on it.

Which begged the question. If it wasn't The Rug, who the hell broke into their cottage?

Ranger had made a lot of enemies over the years. Too many to count. Most of the more recent ones were in Jersey, but he'd made enemies all over the world during his Special Forces days. People with long memories. And while it was unlikely any of them would track him to Oahu and infiltrate a secure resort, it wasn't impossible. Especially if they hired someone to do their dirty work.

His instincts told him this wasn't a serious threat. His experience told him it was better to be cautious than dead.

He closed Steph into the bedroom and went into the living room to work out. Spend some of the energy he wanted to use with her. It would be limiting, but it was a better option than leaving her unguarded. He might put in a lot of effort to avoid examining his feelings for her too closely, but he was certain of one thing. If she was ever seriously injured or killed, the careful control he'd spent so many years fostering would break. And God help the man responsible. Especially if it was him.

It was a couple of hours before the change in air pressure in the cottage told him she was conscious. Even after shadowboxing, and doing pull-ups in the doorframe, and pushups until he was dripping sweat onto the hardwood floor, he still felt the urgent need. Fighting the impulse to climb over her and kiss her awake. He made coffee when she moved from deep sleep to dozing. Set a creamy cup on her bedside table.

He felt her eyes, finished his set and stood, wiping the sweat from his face. She was watching him through the open doorway with a mix of awe and interest. "I called in for some breakfast. Should be here soon."

"Great," she answered. She scooted back against the headboard when he came into the room. Taking up the coffee so she could hide the way her eyes dilated as they poured over him. He was shirtless. Sweat trickling down his hard body. She lingered over a few of his scars. Probably curious what their stories might be. He wondered if he would ever tell her, if she had the courage to ask someday.

She looked down into her cup. "Don't you usually go to the gym?"

There wasn't any fear in her question. Like last night had never happened. That was both endearing and worrisome. Steph was the only woman he knew who could acclimate to fear so easily. Also didn't seem to think through the consequences. "I didn't think it was smart to leave you here asleep and unprotected when we don't know who broke in last night."

"You don't think they'd try something, do you?"

"Let's just say I've learned to be cautious." He looked her over. Her brown waves were erratic. Standing up in places like a crazy lady. He used to tell her it was scary. He guessed in a way it still was. It was just that after sleeping with her so often, and now making love on a regular basis, the messy curls were just sexy. Usually the result of something memorable and fun. He warmed. "It would probably be best if we laid low today. Let our problem get complacent again."

"And how do we lay low?"

He fought a smile. Let his eyes skate down her body. "Well. We could either find a little out of the way spot to spend most of the day. Or we could stay in."

He could see her first thought was that staying in without any clothes on might be fun, but almost as quickly the doubt crept back in. It wasn't that she didn't want to. She'd shown well enough that she was capable of giving herself to him with wild abandon. But that still wasn't enough. Not yet.

He sighed and walked to her suitcase, sifting through until he found the black bikini and matching tank top and tossed it onto the foot of the bed with a black and violet wrap. "Guess you still need that minute."

"I'm sorry."

"You don't need to apologize, Babe. But you might want to work out whatever issue you're dealing with. I can be a good guy, but even I have my limits."

He left her there and went into the bathroom to wash off his workout.

It had been an idol threat. As much as he wanted to resume things between them, he knew that applying any kind of pressure to help her barriers fall would be a short-term solution that caused long-term problems.

Patience was a virtue. One he had gotten good at after a long, hard road. He could wait.

o o o

He didn't tell her where they were headed as they drove the 911 along the coastal road that led around to the north side of the island. He'd never been there himself. Rico had told him about it. The hike wouldn't be as difficult for her as Diamondhead would have been. She might even enjoy the quiet walk through the woods.

Ranger pulled up to the trailhead and parked in the shade of the trees. Steph looked doubtful. "We're not going in there, are we?"

"That was the plan."

"It's not far is it?"

"Couple miles." He angled out of the car. He was going to walk around to her side to open her door, but she scramble out of her seat before he had a chance.

"But I can't walk that far in the jungle in flip flops."

Ranger had already considered that when he'd gone through their bags. Steph had brought several pairs of shoes, but nothing versatile enough to go hiking. Which made it ironic that she'd talked about hiking the volcano yesterday morning just because The Rug had a brochure. He didn't say a word. Just opened the trunk and pulled out the hiking boots he'd asked for. Once again, they were tucked into the corner. Put there by a massive man who had managed to sneak into a secure parking structure for a second time in as many days. Ranger set the boots into Steph's hands. Socks on top of the boots. "They should already be broken in."

Steph gaped. "Were those in the trunk this whole time?"

Ranger smiled.

"Okay. Tell me the truth. Is Noah actually magic?"

"Noah's innovative, and he's good with a lock. Any skills beyond that are outside of my realm of expertise."

"So yes."

God, he loved her. She really was pure sunshine. He slung an arm around her neck, kissing her ear. "I've got a few things I could show you if you want to see magic."


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve

It was only a couple miles into the jungle. A breeze for him, but Steph didn't have a lot of experience. She'd tripped more than once on the uneven roots that snaked just under the narrow dirt path. He held tight to her hand to keep her from falling or twisting an ankle. When he'd first caught her fingers, the giant rock on her ring had pressed into his palm. He tried to ignore it. Folding his hand with hers to lead her deeper into the jungle.

They heard the waterfall before it was visible through the break in the trees. Pouring over the rocks into a little pool in the shadow of the steep cliff face. Steph stared at it in wonder. Just as he'd hoped she would. A little chunk of paradise that was on a separate plane from the rest of the world.

"Can we swim in it?" she asked him.

He felt a smile pulling at him. "If you want." That was why he'd brought her all the way out here. Rico said the spot was secluded. Open to the public, but seldom traveled. Not to mention romantic.

Steph seemed to realize that too. Turning to look at him over her shoulder with a flirty smile. "You're not gonna make me go in the water all by myself again, are you? I mean, you've probably seen a waterfall before, right?"

She was teasing him again. Feeling more at ease. That was encouraging. The truth is, that was why he'd been drawn to this place. For two days now he'd been watching her from the secure spots he'd chosen on the public beaches. Too aware of the risks to follow her, despite his desire to feel her slipping against him in the water in those tiny bikinis.

He didn't have to worry as much here. There were fewer variables. And the quiet seclusion meant that even if someone did approach, he'd hear them coming as long as he held back at least some of his attention from her. He let his dark eyes wander over her before he stripped off his shirt. He set his gun on the rocks beside the pool within easy reach and covered it with the shirt to be safe. Then he waded into the cool, clear water.

He offered her a hand, but she bit her lip, reluctant. Probably realized that he would pull her up against him in the water. Wrap himself around her. Touch her if she gave into the desire he could see in her eyes. She untied the knot on her dark wrap and let it float to the ground onto his discarded shirt. Then she stripped off her tank top, exposing her creamy belly to the sunlight. "There isn't anything in that water that's likely to bite me, is there?" she asked him.

A wicked smile lifted his face. She was putting ideas into his head.

She contemplated the hand he offered, still not quite sure if she was ready to be in his arms. She took a hesitant step to the edge of the pool. Then her foot found a puddle on the uneven rocks and she slipped. It wasn't the most graceful fall. Her arms and legs flailed when she lost control, tossing her sideways into the water. He was fighting a laugh when she surfaced again, nothing bruised but her ego.

He caught her hand and dragged her through the water toward him, but she slipped away and splashed toward the waterfall. He grinned. Some of her reluctance was real, but not all of it. It reminded him of the years of flirting. When she'd been receptive enough to let him close, but not too close.

Some women like to play hard to get. Steph didn't have to play at it. She really was hard to get. Which made the pursuit all the more fun.

"So how long do you figure we have to lay low," she asked, hoping to distract him.

"Hard to say."

"Because there's supposed to be a luau tonight on the beach behind the resort. I saw it on the schedule. It might be our best bet to see The Rug. Might even be able to take him down without too much trouble."

"It's something to think about," he said, still inching toward her again. She moved further away, but not by much. Starting to warm to the idea of being caught. He kept moving toward her with steady patience. Waiting for a signal.

"Did Silvio get access to the hotel cameras?"

"Not yet. It's a wired closed circuit feed. He's having trouble finding a signal. Could be the system's not accessible remotely."

"When was the last time you heard from him?"

"This morning." Ranger was fighting a smile. "Am I making you nervous again? I thought we were passed that."

"We are. Mostly. It's just that you brought me out to this romantic spot, and we're all alone swimming under this great waterfall, and you looking at me like that."

"Like what?" he said, closing the last few inches. She backed against the side of the pool near the pile of discarded clothes. She didn't squirm away this time. She let him press into her, his chest brushing hers under the water. He placed his hands on the rock on either side of her, bracketing her in.

"Like that," she whispered. Her breathing shallow. "I'm still having issues, remember?"

The smile pulled at his mouth as he lowered it to hers. "Oh, I remember."

Her eyes dropped to his lips a second before he kissed her. They disappeared behind her lids. He kept the kiss gentle. Slow and thoughtful. Not chaste by any stretch, but not the kind of kiss that said he was trying to rip her clothes off. And then she moaned. He deepened the kiss and she responded in kind. His hands found her waist, and then her ribs. Her skin like silk in the water. Her arms moved around his neck and he held her even closer. His fingers searching the edge of her bikini top until he could slip them inside to touch her bare skin.

He was starting to think about exploring lower when he heard a twig snap deep within the trees. It stole his attention. Steph didn't notice right away. Her mouth had started moving down his neck, her hands following the definition of his chest and abdomen. Furthering the sensations in his body even while he was reaching into their clothes to grasp his weapon. She finally went still when he clicked off the safety. Holding her breath.

Ranger pulled away from her a few inches. Enough that she was able to twist in his arms to look at the empty trail, the sound coming closer. And then a small boy stepped out of the trees. Ranger relaxed his grip. Pushing the safety back into place. A girl appeared too, followed by a man and woman who looked so tired and worn that they could only be the children's parents. They looked shocked to see a man and woman colluding in the shallow end of the pool. From the looks on their faces, he and Steph might as well have been naked and fornicating in full public view.

A few more minutes and they might have been.

"Guess it's time to go," Ranger whispered in her ear, fighting another smile. He gave her a quick kiss and lifted himself out of the pool, offering her a hand once he was on solid ground. He dragged her out of the water without much effort. She busied herself with getting dressed, but Ranger knew it would cause even more waves if the happy little family realized that there was a gun wrapped in his t-shirt. He waited until they were a safe distance into the woods before he tucked the Glock into the small of his back again.

"That was a shorter outing than I thought it would be," she said, watching him.

He pulled the shirt on over his head, a hint of a smile on his face. "Saved by the five-year-old."

She swallowed. Very aware of what almost happened. "So, where to next?" she asked.  
"We could head to a beach."

Ranger grinned. "Are you afraid to be alone with me?"

"No," she said, not entirely meaning it. Though, she looked anything but afraid. Combustible, maybe, but not afraid. He took a step toward her, letting the wolf back into his smile.

"I can control myself if you can."

"Great. Pretty sure we both know how that'll go."

He felt a laugh trying to surface. She wanted him bad and didn't trust herself. A fact that had so much of her attention that she was backing away from him without noticing the Latino guy coming up the trail behind her. Her boot caught on a root and she stumbled back. Rico caught her shoulder to keep her from falling. Fear flashed through her eyes when his touch startled her and her instincts kicked in. She whipped around and landed a punch square between his eyes.

Rico's head snapped back and she covered her mouth, horrified at what she'd done. "I'm sorry!"

Ranger was laughing his ass off. It took him a few seconds to rein it in, coming up behind Steph while Rico rubbed his forehead, swearing in Spanish. Ranger put a hand on the base of Stephanie's neck. Laugher still rocking his chest where he pressed against her back. "Steph, this is Noah's partner, Rico."

"Omigod, I'm so sorry! Jeez, this is embarrassing."

"Only for me," Rico said, rubbing between his eyes. He was a lot smaller than Noah. Not much taller than Steph. He had an average build, too. Not as much muscle as the men Ranger usually hired. He had skills, though. He was clever, and he had quick fingers and a silver tongue. Made up for the laid back attitude he had from growing up in the islands. Ranger had pretty much given up trying to get him to wear Rangeman black. The blue and white Hawaiian shirt and pale brown cargo shorts blended in better anyway. And it wasn't like the black would enhance Rico's intimidation factor.

Rico's eyes moved over Steph, humor mingling with his interest. " _Noah wasn't kidding. She's a force to be reckoned with,_ " he said in Spanish. Ranger laughed. "Man, your girl's got a mean jab," he added in English.

"You should see her take down an FTA."

"Oh yeah? Bounty hunter, huh? Guess that makes sense. And if the jab doesn't stop 'em, you could always just wait for the dumpster, right?"

"See, now I'm not sorry that I hit you anymore," Steph told him. Rico laughed. "Is there a reason you're here?"

"Yeah. I had to check in and make sure everything was good before I head back. Noah's supposed to be getting dirt on this scumbag called Jim Cutter, but the scumbag came back early. He needs a diversion." A grin pulled up one corner of his mouth when he looked Steph over again, assessing her from head to toe. "Unless your betty wants to help out. I bet things would go smoother with her on board, if she's got experience."

Ranger wasn't exactly happy with that proposition. And not just because he was hoping to find some place he could get Steph naked. She'd done a lot of decoy work for him in the past, with mixed results. She was very good at it. Had a natural sexuality that drew men in when she turned it their way. But not every target was safe, and not every target was compliant.

Not that he would ever tell her not to do it. Steph could handle herself.

Ranger shrugged. "It's your call, Babe."

She contemplated it for a minute. "What kind of dirt are you supposed to be getting?"

"Evidence. Seems this guys been embezzling from the bar he owns with his partner. And it's been suggested that he spends it on blow and hookers."

"Were you hired by the partner?"

"No. The wife. She's hoping what we find is enough to put him away so he can't hit her anymore," Rico said.

Steph's spine straightened. She had a special dislike for wife beaters. Hunted her fair share of them back and Trenton. Usually took them down with a little more satisfaction than other criminals. It was something he and Steph had in common.

Rico must have read it on her face because his smile widened. "Does that mean you're in?"

"Yeah. I'm in."


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen

Ranger pulled the 911 into a parking spot two storefronts down from the dilapidated bar Rico had indicated. Rico parked on the other side. There wasn't any visual access in the front of the building. Just a plain metal fire door and a diamond-patterned stained glass window so covered in grime that not much light would be able to filter through it. They wouldn't be able to keep eyes on Steph. Not something he was thrilled about.

"Rico and I will hang back," he told her. "Give you some breathing room to do your thing. Then we'll slip in once you've got him distracted. Noah will be in the office in back. You just have to keep Cutter occupied. If you can get him to leave, that's even better." As long as she didn't leave with him.

"Piece of cake." Steph looked down at her top and started adjusting the stretchy fabric to expose more of her breasts, making sure the little bit of bikini there was to cover her flesh was clearly visible. It was mesmerizing to watch. He caught a flash of nipple more than once. His body reacting despite his efforts. She fluffed out her drying hair to encourage the bedroom curls. "How's that?"

"Makes me wish we were back at the waterfall," he said.

That gave her courage. She was about to climb out of the car, then paused, pulling the wedding ring from her finger. Dropped it into his hand. She probably thought it would complicate things to be wearing a giant rock like that when she was supposed to be holding the guys attention. And she was right. He knew that. Which is why he didn't entirely understand why he disliked it so much. He'd gotten used to Steph in his ring. And now she was going to confront a bad guy without his mark on her.

She turned to the door again. "Wait."

She paused. Ranger reached into her top and filled his hands with both breasts. He caressed them while he adjusted her a little more. His touch gentle but firm. Her body hummed as he touched her. Her eyes darkening to sapphires. She was breathless by the time he was done. Watching him like he was dessert. "Is that better?" she asked.

"It was fine before. That was for me."

She rolled her eyes so big that she almost fell over. He watched her climb out of the Porsche, holding onto his laugh until she was halfway to the bar. It might have been a dick move, asserting his claim like that. He just couldn't bring himself to regret it.

Rico slipped into her empty seat a minute after she vanished into the bar.

"So, how long do you think your girl needs to work her magic?"

"Give her five."

They sat in silence for a minute. Rico shifting. Rico wasn't as good at silence as Noah was. Rico was more like Steph. Talkative. Curious. It made him a good investigator, just like it did with her, but it wasn't nearly as cute. "So how long you and her been a thing?"

Not a question any of his other men would dare ask. Not even Tank. They all knew better. Ranger almost didn't have a personal life, let alone acknowledge what little he did have to other people. Rico wasn't deterred by his non-answer, though. "She's cute. Sweet in a _don't fuck with me_ kind of way. I can see why you like her."

Ranger kept staring at the building.

"You guys set a date yet?"

"How often does Noah have to beat you down to discourage the rabbiting?" Ranger asked him, casting a hard eye his way. It was a look that made most people shrink. Rico wasn't most people. Ranger didn't know much about his past beyond what Noah told him and what showed up in the background checks, but he knew that intimidation never made much of an impression on him. Rico just grinned.

"Noah and I been tight since we were kids, Cuz."

"So at least twice a year?"

Rico grinned wider. This time Ranger let a small smile lift his mouth too.

Rico turned back to the door. "Seriously, man. I'm happy for you. I barely met her and I can tell she's a special girl. Not many women can do this kind of thing and keep their sweetness. And I'm guessing she's been good for you, seeing as you haven't punched me in the face yet."

"Still early."

Rico laughed.

Ranger glanced down at his watch. Three and a half minutes. Close enough.

He angled out of the car before Rico could start another conversation. Slipped Steph's ring into his pocket. They walked up to the bar's fire door and Ranger pressed the handle slowly to keep it quiet before he eased to open an inch.

Steph's voice was even and steady. Playful. Good. That meant she was in control. He gestured to Rico, then slipped through the gap in the door. The bar was darker than he'd anticipated. Daylight made a big impact on the room. The mark stiffened, his back to them. She'd been smart enough to go behind the bar to keep him from watching the door. He looked like he might turn to see who they were, but Steph caught his arm, leaning over the counter to keep his attention. It would have worked on anyone. Ranger was still more than ten feet away and he could see so far down her top he swore he saw bellybutton.

She purred something and it hit right on target. A bomb could have gone off and Cutter might not have noticed.

Then Steph straightened and took a step back, a shadow crossing her face. It was gone in an instant, replaced again by the flirty smile. If Ranger hadn't known her so well, he wouldn't have noticed it at all. Something Cutter had said rattled her. She offered him a strained smile.

Cutter stood and wandered around behind the bar, getting into her space. She backed into the register. His hand curled around her elbow, but she didn't rip it from his grasp. Still trying to maintain control of the situation. The exchange was getting more intense. She was trying to hide it, but a little fear was seeping out through her bravado. And a little discomfort. If the guy didn't back off and let her go soon, Ranger was going to make him.

Then Cutter snatched her up and dragged her against his body, and when she fought back he slapped her hard across the face. Ranger broke for him, ready to catch him around the neck and fling him over the bar, but Steph got there first. She racked him hard in the balls. Sidestepped him when he fell toward her, grapping the back of his shirt to turn his momentum against him and smack him face first into the counter. Cutter struck the Formica and flopped out of sight.

Ranger hit the counter first, peering over the edge at the lump of man on the dirty tile floor. He looked up at her in amazement. "Babe."

She could only shrug. "He wasn't being a gentleman."

His entire face lit up. Impressed and relieved all at once.

Rico came up beside him. They'd moved for her at the same time, but Rico hadn't been as fast as Ranger. He leaned over the Formica and looked at Cutter. "Damn. I'm glad I just got a sucker punch. You're a dangerous woman."

"It was mostly an accident."

Rico shook his head. "I'd hate to see what you'd do on purpose."

Ranger was already moving around to her side of the bar. Stepped over Cutter to get to her. He was tender when he brushed her hair back from her face to examine the pink mark left by Cutter's hand. Laid a soft kiss on her cheek. "You alright?" he asked her. She nodded. "Good. Because I might have had to kill him otherwise, and I don't have the connections here to make a body disappear."

The fact that he was joking didn't take away the ring of truth. In another life, it wouldn't have been a joke at all. He leaned down and flipped Cutter over, cuffing his arms behind his back, then glanced up at Rico. "Call it in. Have him booked on assault charges. They don't need to stick, but it should give you enough time to line up the rest of your evidence."

Rico nodded and headed back toward the office.

Ranger turned back to her and took her hand. Slid his ring back onto her finger. He lifted it to his lips. "I always do love seeing you in action."

"Morbid curiosity?"

"Major turn on."

A tiny smile quirked up the corner of her mouth. "So what happens now?"

"Now we hand him off to Noah and Rico and we head back to the resort."

"And then?"

Ranger smiled.

The office door opened and Noah walked out, Rico behind him. Noah looked at Cutter laying flat on the floor where Ranger had flipped him over, his hands cuffed behind his back. "You're right. Calamity Jane knocked him out cold." He looked up at Steph and winked. "Couldn't have happened to a nicer guy."

o o o

They might as well have been naked in the interior of the 911 on the drive back, the intimate tension was so thick. Ranger let his hand rest on Stephanie's bare leg through the opening in her wrap skirt, tracing soft, seductive lines on the inside of her thigh. Every few minutes, he inched just a little higher. And every time he did, her breathing got a little more ragged.

He cut his eyes to her and was rewarded to see the arousal in her expression. A smile surfaced. "So, are we heading home?" he asked, inching even higher. Enjoying the temptation on her face.

Steph bit her lip. She was fighting with her self control. And losing, by the look of it. In fact, it looked like she wanted to have him pull over like she had that day in Trenton so she could climb on him right there in the 911. Even if she did had to have her ass on the horn again.

"Not yet," she managed to say. "Maybe we should get some lunch first."

"And then?"

"You did promise to buy me a new dress."

"Do I get to help you try it on?"

"Maybe next time."

He glanced at her again and let out a quiet sigh, turning back to the road. "This is a long minute."

From the way she was fighting her body for control, Steph thought that too.

The atmosphere hadn't entirely cooled by the time they got back to Honolulu, but it wasn't burning them anymore. Steph was more comfortable with that. As much as it was in her nature, she didn't like feeling out of control. Didn't want to give in and fuck him just because her body wanted it, only to have her head retaliate when the blood came back.

He understood that. It was something a lot of guys could relate to. It's hard to think through consequences when all the blood leaves your brain to rush to other parts of your anatomy. Loosing control like that wasn't something Ranger let happen to him anymore. Well, maybe once or twice with Steph. Further indication of why he shouldn't encourage himself to get so close to her.

After lunch they found a quiet dress shop in center city and Steph picked out a sexy little black dress with accents of blue and white and a pair of black stiletto high heels. The heels gave him even more ideas than the dress did. Money well spent.

They drove back to the resort and he gave Steph some space to let her get ready. It wasn't what he had wanted. There had been plenty of time to indulge in each other and still make it to the luau. Even if he made love to her with as much rapt attention as he intended. But he let her keep him distant. Because he loved her enough to give her what she needed, not just what she wanted.

To a point.

What she probably needed most was for him to step back entirely. That just wasn't going to happen. Not yet. He liked being with her too much. Always had. He had known, from the number of times that they'd shared living space before, that she was easy to live with. Now he knew what it was like to live with her completely, intimacy and all. And it was incredible. He'd never had this with any other woman. Not even his ex-wife. Never wanted it with any other woman.

But he'd known from the beginning that this wasn't something he would get to keep. Something he should have reminded himself when he saw her without his ring and felt a hint of discomfort. First chance he got, he'd slid the ring back onto her finger. Marked his territory again. Because having her to himself, this far removed from all the shit back home, made it easy to forget that this wasn't the way things were supposed to be. She wasn't his wife. Or his fiancée, despite the way Noah and Rico talked about her. She wasn't even his girlfriend. Not back in Trenton. In Trenton, she belonged to someone else.

He pushed that back. She was still his here. At least for a few more days. Right now, that would just have to be enough.

The bathroom door opened.

Ranger let her gravity pull him back toward the bedroom, leaning on the doorframe to watch her. She really was beautiful. Even more polished than usual. Her erratic bedroom curls were actually tamed. Pinned up in a style that made him want to run his fingers through it and shake it loose. She was wrapped in a hotel robe again. No doubt pampered and soft. She certainly smelled nice. The new dress and heels were laid out across the foot of the bed with her delicate black lace underwear.

She glanced over at him. Taking in the black suit. It was more formal than any of the other men would be wearing, but the suit coat would hide his gun better than one of the black Hawaiian shirts.

"I just need a few more minutes," she said, obviously hoping he would step back out and let her get dressed in privacy. Like that was going to happen. He might be holding back the urge to rip the robe open and have his way with her right there on the end of the bed, but that didn't mean he wasn't going to let himself at least have this.

She hesitated for a few seconds and then shrugged out of the robe. Standing there completely naked. Five feet seven inches of smooth white skin and delicious curves. He should have felt like an ass for refusing to step away. But if that emotion was in there somewhere, it was overridden by sheer excitement. It was the ninety seconds, only in slow motion. The elastic waistband clinging to her thighs as she pulled her panties into place. The bra adjusting itself to cradle her breasts, a hint of pink still visible through the lace. It was almost as erotic as it would have been if she was taking it all off. Letting him memorize every inch as it disappeared so that he knew exactly what was underneath the dress when she dropped in on over her head.

She glanced his way while she was getting dressed. Wondering if his desires were going to get the better of him. Hoping a little that they would. She was just as turned on as he was. But for the moment, just knowing he was the only one who got to have her like this was enough.

"Ready?" he asked when she reached for the stiletto heels. They would add a good four inches to her. Bringing her up to eye level. Her lips all that much closer to his. She nodded in answer and started for the space he wasn't filling in the doorway, intending to slip past him into the living room.

His arms wrapped around her on their own when her gravity reached him, pulling her against him so that he could kiss her. The intensity consumed them until her fingers were curled into his shirt collar and she stopped breathing. That was a decent consolation. The fact that even without the sex, they could still come together in a way that made her dizzy and him raw.

He gave her one more kiss and pressed her purse into her hands. "Let's go ID us a hitman."


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen

Ranger had expected the beachfront where the luau was being held to be crowded. He wasn't wrong. At least three quarters of the resorts guests had shown up for the festivities. He watched the flow of traffic for a minute to discern the patterns. Identifying the path of least resistance.

Hotel staff in white uniforms were moving through the crowd, distributing drinks. The general tone of the party was half lit already. Another hour and most of them would be blind stinking drunk.

Steph grabbed a Mai Tai and followed him around the edge of the crowd. The place was decorated for tourists. Tiki torches everywhere. Eight foot ice sculptures near the food. There were even beautiful women standing at the key entry points passing out flower leis. One of them turned to Steph when they neared, setting a ring of white orchids around her neck. Steph was pretty tickled about that. Then the woman turned to Ranger. He declined politely and put a hand on Steph's back to guide her away.

Steph beamed at him. "I just got leid."

Ranger shook his head. "Babe."

"What? Like I could come all the way to Hawaii and not make a getting leid joke. I'm pretty sure it's required by law." That made him smile. "Don't you want to get leid?"

He looked at her and their eyes held. "More than you could possibly imagine."

She made a cute little cringe and flicked her eyes away. He hit his mark again. Teasing her was almost as much fun as the flirting.

She headed straight for the food and he followed close behind, keeping his eyes on the faces of the people around them. He was watching for ill intent. A hard habit to break. It wasn't likely he was going to see more here than cocktail fueled festivity and the occasional flash of intimidation when people met his eye.

A middle aged woman with short bleach blonde hair latched onto Steph when they reached the buffet line. She was very friendly, nudging Steph with her elbow while she looked him over. "Newlyweds, huh?" the woman said, her southern accent hushed in confidence. Obviously thought he wouldn't hear. He pretended he couldn't.

"What makes you say that?" Steph asked.

"Are you kidding me, hun? The way that husband of yours is watching you? That's a man who can't get enough of his woman. A man only looks at a woman like that when he's head over heels in love."

It took a fair amount of effort for him to hide his smile. A bit oversimplified, but she wasn't entirely wrong. It was getting harder all the time to convince himself otherwise. Steph didn't seem to have an answer for that, but the woman didn't mind. She beamed at her, leaning forward just enough that she could catch his eye.

"I love the all black, by the way," she said to him. "Very Johnny Cash."

This time he let the smile win. He liked her.

They watched the woman move away and he leaned into Steph until his chest was on her back, her warmth filling him. "She didn't think I looked like a contract killer," he said in her ear.

"That's because she doesn't know you."

He laughed, aware of the cool press of his gun at the small of his back. She had him there.

They were nearing the buffet tables. He could tell when Steph's attention was pulled away from him, toward the scent of roast pig. He could hear her stomach growling. All base instinct. If he was lucky, he'd be able to turn that base instinct to his favor later.

Then he spotted Tootie and Simon Ruguzzi heading toward them through the crowd.

He did a quick rundown, analyzing all the possible variables and outcomes in seconds. A skill he'd honed over the years. They could stay in line and take the risk The Rug would see them. There was a chance he'd skirt them by, too involved in the argument with his wife to notice the sharp-eyed woman and muscular mercenary. But if he saw them, things could go very badly. Ruguzzi was the only other man besides Ranger on the entire beach who was wearing a suit coat. No need to question why. The Ruger would be tucked in his waistband, just like Ranger's Glock. And from the dark tension around his eyes, Ranger had no doubt that if they tried to apprehend him and lost the element of surprise, The Rug wouldn't hesitate to use it. Even in the massive crowd. There would be casualties.

Not a risk he was willing to take.

He snaked an arm around Steph's waist and swung her around him until they were hidden behind the eight foot tall tiki carved from ice. Her back was on it, the rest of her nestled against his body where his suit coat had parted. She tried to ask what he was doing, but he shushed her. Ruguzzi hadn't joined the buffet line. He'd pulled his wife aside, standing just on the other side of the ice so that they wouldn't be overheard.

"I don't know why you have to bring that thing with us everywhere," Tootie said. "It's so unnecessary. Who are you going to need to shoot?"

"You were the one who said you were being followed."

"I said it felt like I was being followed. When I looked, it was just those newlyweds who can't keep their hands off each other."

Ranger looked down at Steph, unable to decide if he should be upset or amused that everyone, including the contract killer's wife, had labeled them the newlyweds. Had noticed that they were so enamored with each other. It was something he tried to ignore most of the time. But ignoring it didn't make it less true. The thoughts surfaced again and he was having a hard time pushing them back.

Maybe she could be his. And not just here, or at Rangeman. Everywhere. He could keep her for himself even after they went back to Trenton. To hell with Morelli. To hell with what was right. He could burn in hell for the rest of eternity for the choices he'd made and it wouldn't matter. Because the truth was he did love her. So much more than he should. And fighting it hadn't gotten him anywhere.

He held onto her bright blue gaze and caught a glimpse of heaven. Her hands were on his ribs inside his coat, but she wasn't holding them apart. Nothing was.

She just stared back at him trying to remember to breath. The whispering on the other side of the ice finished and the threat receded. Leaving them alone in the dusk light.

"I think they're gone," she breathed, her voice uneven. The air was thick around them. Heavy with the scent of orchids and desire and Stephanie. He let his eyes drop to her mouth. Only a few inches away. He leaned toward her until he could feel the heat from her lips.

She shifted against the ice, trying to pull away from the cold. And then she stumbled, bringing his attention back to reality. Her sharp, spiked heel sank into the grass and she fell back, knocking into a pair of tiki torches. One flipped over onto the buffet table and caught the tablecloth on fire. A wave of alarm rippled through the crowd. Some tried to toss their drinks on it to discourage the flames, too drunk to realize the alcohol would only make it worse.

Ranger ripped off his suit coat to beat out the flames. Then Stephanie yelped. The back of her dress had caught fire too. He smothered it and scooped her up, rushing her away from the chaos.

He hardly let her feet touch the ground on the way back to their cottage. He threw the door open and set her down, locking it behind them. She was in shock, feeling the back of her dress for the fabric that was no longer there.

"Does it hurt?" Ranger asked, kneeling behind her to assess the damage.

She shook her head. "I don't think I got burned."

He could see the backs of her thighs through the gaping hole. A hint of her black panties. He grabbed the edges and tore the dress right up the back, exposing all of her soft skin. It was a little pink, but nothing more. He traced her with his fingers gently. She was right. The back of the dress was still damp from leaning against the ice. It had probably saved her skin. "Could have been worse. I don't see any real damage."

"Except the dress."

Ranger laughed a little in concession. "Another one bites the dust."

"It's not funny."

He smiled anyway, turning her until she was facing him. He pulled her into his arms. "Babe. This is the second time today I thought you might be seriously hurt. The fact that you're fine and your dress got torched is defiantly a little funny."

"Are you going to offer to buy me another one?"

"Sure. But given the progression of events, the next one's going to be made of Kevlar."

"Ha ha."

He leaned down enough to kiss her cheek, lingering there to be reassured she was alright. Grateful for her resilience. "With any luck, no one will even realize you were there. I don't figure it would work out well for us if you were blamed for burning down the resort."

"It was only one table. And it wasn't my fault."

"It was a little you're fault." She frowned at him. It was so cute that he couldn't stop the amusement from spreading over his face. He kissed her pouting lower lip. "It's alright, Babe. I still love you. And we accomplished our goal. Got eyes on The Rug. That should make you happy. Now we can order room service, get cozy, and plan our takedown."

That brightened her a little bit. And not just because of the win. He was pretty sure it had equally to do with the room service. He watched her head to the bedroom while he picked up the hotel phone receiver. A little food, some gentle caressing and a few more kisses and she'd be feeling better in no time. He called in and ordered some dinner and then his cell phone rang. Rico. He set the phone back on the cradle and answered it.

"Hey, boss. Just got a call from one of my friends down at the police station. They had to let Cutter loose. Not too surprising. Unless your girl were to press charges, they've got nothing to book him on. Noah's got what the wife needs, but he's all the way across town. Cutter will get here first. I could use a little backup with the wife until we can get her the evidence and line up a police visit."

"Text me the address." He disconnected and the text came through a second later. He plotted it with the GPS on his phone. It would take him ten minutes. He'd have to drive fast to get there before Cutter. A necessity, give that Rico didn't have a lot of fighting experience. Without backup, there was a good chance things would go south quick when he was found alone in the house with the wife.

Steph was standing in the doorway behind him. He turned to face her. "I have to head out to tie a few loose ends from this morning. Do you want to ride with me?"

"No. I'm wiped. Being set on fire really takes it out of a person."

He almost smiled at that. She would know. Steph had an unfortunate relationship with fire. It was attracted to her almost as much as the garbage. "It's understandable. I put your .45 in your purse. You should keep it with you at all times. I doubt anything will happen, but it'll make me feel better all the same."

She didn't like it, but she nodded anyway. He thought for a minute of insisting she come along. He didn't like leaving her. She would have put up a fight, though. Wasting time he didn't have. And, despite his instincts to protect her like a fragile princess made of glass, he knew she was more than capable of taking care of herself under normal circumstances.

It was the abnormal circumstances he really had to worry about.

There was a knock on the door. Ranger put a hand behind his back and slipped it around the grip of his gun on his way to the peephole. He let go when he confirmed that it was room service. Forced his muscles at ease to make him look relaxed. He opened the door and let the hotel employee bring in the tray and tipped him before he closed the door. "I should only be gone an hour or two. Keep this door bolted until I get back."

Steph nodded again. "Tell Noah and Rico I said hi."

A smile pulled at his mouth. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her. "Be safe."

He stepped out through the front door and listened for the bolt to slide into place while he pulled on his suit coat again. It smelled like smoke from extinguishing Stephanie, but there wasn't anything he could do about that at the moment. He started for the hotel's central building and called ahead to have them bring his car around.

The concierge was behind the front desk when he passed through the lobby. Ranger wouldn't have paid the man much attention usually. No more than the cursory glance he gave everyone else who didn't register as a threat. But this time, the young man avoided his eye more deliberately. Something lingered in his expression aside from the intimidation Ranger was used to.

Ranger didn't have time to dig any deeper at the moment, but he made a mental note to turn the feral stare onto him the next time they met. The kid might know something he didn't want to share. And Ranger had a special talent convincing people to share.

He slipped into the 911 and sped away from the resort.

The hour estimate hadn't been far off. By the time he got back to the cottage it was only nine. He'd gone to the house just in time. Pulling up as Cutter was heading through the front door. Cutter was able to coldcock Rico before Ranger dragged him back by the scruff of his neck and slammed him into the wall. Got the pleasure of taking a shot at the man's face, right in the same spot he'd hit Steph. A touch of poetic justice.

What was even better was that Cutter had an unregistered firearm in his possession. Loudly threatening both Rico and his wife with bodily harm when the police arrived. That was enough to get him hauled in again, this time on charges that might stick. Noah arrived just as the police were escorting Cutter back to the police station. If things played out smoothly, the ledgers and documentation of fraud he'd found would go a long way toward making sure Cutter didn't see the street again for a while.

Ranger let himself into the cottage, slipping the security chain like it wasn't there. One of the many skills he'd picked up over the years. Steph was in the bedroom. The low murmur of the television keeping her company. He hardly made a sound when he pushed through the doorway. The room was a wash of color, changing and flickering between light and darkness. She was snuggled up under the covers with the remote in hand. Her breathing slow and even.

He could sense her attention. She'd been dozing when he first came in, but she'd come alert when she felt him enter her atmosphere. He sat on the bed and leaned over her, brushing her curls behind her ear so that he could lay a gentle kiss on her face. "Babe."

She didn't respond. He might have thought she was really sleeping, but the slow, even rhythm of her breaths were just a little too shallow. He let out a silent sigh. His touch moved in a gentle caress down her arm until he could reach the remote. Flicked the television off. He shed his clothes and slid into the bed beside her. He pulled her back against his chest and relaxed around her until her tension eased and he was able to sleep.

He woke before dawn the next morning, but having her in his arms was too good to give up. He just lay beside her, his lips caressing her shoulder softly enough that he wouldn't wake her.

She finally stirred about an hour after sunrise. A smile tried to surface, his hand caressing her where he'd wrapped it around her breast. The exhale that escaped her quivered on the way out. Her body responding to his lightest touch. He kissed her shoulder, slipping a hand under the edge of her shirt so that he could search up her bare skin. Leading the other one down her side and across her hip.

"Um. I think I still need that minute," she tried to say. Having trouble meaning it. An opening.

He nuzzled her neck, hoping she'd give in to herself. It was all he could think about last night. Being with her. He hadn't found a way to justify it yet, but the thought was very tempting. "You think?"

"I know."

He put his mouth on her ear, caressing her in all the places she liked best. "Any way I can change your mind?"

"Probably, but you're too noble to do that."

A grin lifted his face. "I'm not that noble."

For a moment he thought she was going to let the temptation have her. Then she started to squirm away, knowing that getting out of the bed was the only way she'd be able to say no. He didn't want her to leave their bed. Even if it meant giving up his intentions. He let out a sigh and caught her before she could wriggle away, pulling her back to rest against him. "You were more fun before."

She didn't deny it. Didn't seem to want to. Steph was struggling with the balance between her two natures. The good girl and the sexual being. And she was afraid. Had every right to be. Because as much as she liked him, as much as she might try to trust him, there would never be a day that he would be normal.

She relaxed in his arms, letting him cradle her against his chest. Her fingers traced a careful line across the back of his hand. Lingering over the place his wedding ring would be if he hadn't set it on the bedside table. She was thinking about the future again. Something he tried never to do. He laced their fingers together to stop her. Knowing that it wouldn't make a difference.

As if by providence, she drew in a careful breath. "Do you think we'll ever get a chance to see where something between us might go?" she asked quietly.

He wanted to tell her yes. But he couldn't. It wouldn't have been fair to make promises he didn't know if he could keep. He let out a silent sigh and kissed her forehead. "I can't predict the future, Babe. It's not one of my superpowers."

"So is that a maybe?"

A laugh broke through. Filling his chest with warmth again. Leave it to Steph to read between the lines. He really was in trouble. "How about we jump off that bridge when we come to it."

A promise without a promise. The best he could do, considering. She seemed to accept it, though. The rest of her tension was gone. She let out a contented sigh and snuggled into him. It took a little determination to keep his body in check. He liked lying with her. Liked the quiet comfort. But it was hard to ignore that it was sexy.

He let the corner of his smile rest on her forehead. "If this dry spell goes on too long this is going to start feeling like a real marriage."

"I doubt a real marriage between us would ever see a dry spell."

A grin spread across his face. Now who was making promises?

His phone started ringing on his bedside table and he turned to reach for it. He might have thought about ignoring it for a second. Only a second, though. His phone didn't ring unless it was important. Only Steph would ever call him for social reasons. He opened the line without a greeting.

"Caught a flag," Silvio said through the phone. "Martin and Charlotte Terron checked out ten minutes ago. I've been trying to trace where they might be headed, but nothing's surfaced yet. I'll notify you the second something pops up." And then he was gone.

Ranger disconnected. Steph wasn't going to be happy. Hell, he wasn't happy. As much as he'd wanted to stretch out their time together, he hadn't actually intended to lose them.

"Terron just checked out."

Steph shot up in the bed. "What? When?"

"Ten minutes ago. Silvio's tracking his credit card, but so far there hasn't been any activity. No flights booked. No alternate hotels. Could be he got spooked and ditched the identities. Or he could be making a run for it."

"Shit!" She sprang out of the bed and snatched up the first thing she could reach from her open suitcase. Ranger followed. Glad once again that everything in his suitcase was the same. He was fully dressed before Steph had on her shoes. "Where are we headed, the airport?" she asked him.

"It's not the only way off the island, but it's the most likely. We'll head there soon. First I want to see if Ruguzzi left anything behind before maid service gets to his room."

It didn't take long to search the empty vacation cottage. He'd started in the bedroom, sending Steph to the bath. The place was stripped. Not a single personal item left behind. That didn't really surprise him with The Rug, but Tootie didn't seem like the pack and flee type. If they were making a run for it, he was betting she would have forgotten at least a few things, in drawers or under the bed.

Steph finished searching the bath and met him in the living room. The only thing there was a little white envelope meant for gratuity. He opened it and found a decidedly ungenerous tip.

"Doesn't look as though they cleared out in a hurry," Steph pointed out.

"I agree. I don't see someone who's going underground leaving a tip."

"Especially a tip so bad. What an asshole."

Ranger let his amusement win. "Babe."


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen

They made it to the airport within a reasonable window. Enough that he was pretty confident The Rug and his wife wouldn't have been able to make it through the backlogged check-in and security lines. He called Silvio while they staked out the terminal, trying to draw as little attention to themselves as possible. Silvio hadn't made any progress either. For all intents and purposes, The Rug had vanished.

"Where do you think they've gone?" Steph asked him, scanning around the airport like she thought she might see something any second. She was more optimistic than he was.

"Hard to say. Even if they don't leave the island, there are nearly a million people on Oahu, about half of them in Honolulu alone. That's a pretty big haystack."

"We're not just giving up, are we?"

Ranger looked at her for a second before he went back to searching the terminal. He didn't want to hand her defeat. "Not yet. If he's not leaving the island, he'll have to stay somewhere. We could canvass a few of the more likely hotels, but we'll have to tread lightly. Don't want to call too much attention to the fact we're looking for him. If by some miracle he hasn't figured out we're here, I don't want to tip him off."

"We could cover more ground if we split up."

He cut his eyes to her again. Trailing through every variable to find some reason that wouldn't be a good idea. Nothing came to mind beyond his own paranoia about having her leave his sight. Knowing that didn't make it any easier. "I'll call Rico. Have him get you a car. If you catch wind of Ruguzzi, don't take him down unless you think you might lose him. You have your accessories?" he asked cryptically, watching airport security wander through the terminal. She nodded. "Good." He caught her with a gentle hand at the back of her neck and kissed her. "Be careful."

"You too," she said.

It made him smile. They both knew she didn't have to say it. He was always careful. But he liked that she cared enough to say it anyway.

o o o

Ranger stayed at the airport for another few hours, just to make sure that the Ruguzzis didn't slip through his fingers. By late afternoon, he was fairly certain they weren't leaving the island. Nothing about this felt like a cut and run. Something had happened to make The Rug check out early, but so far Ranger hadn't found any evidence that it was because he realized there were bounty hunters stalking him.

He spent a few hours hitting the hotels on his portion of the list, but he was meeting resistance. Even when he was charming he still looked like trouble. Nearly six feet of muscle covered in dark skin and black clothes. Not exactly the image that put people at ease. He was betting Stephanie was having more luck. People liked her. Trusted her.

At eight o'clock he called her to check in. "Any luck?"

"Zip. You?"

"My hopes were never high. I say we call it a night. We can make a better plan tomorrow."

He sent her the address for a little hole in the wall he knew from his last job so they could grab some dinner. Mel's. It was in a rougher neighborhood, but then in Ranger's experience the best places often are.

Steph was waiting for him in the Porsche Cayman S Rico had gotten for her. The original plan B. She smiled and tried to look at ease when he opened her door for her. He didn't have any doubt that if he hadn't gotten there seconds after her, she wouldn't have gotten out of the car. He slung an arm around her shoulders and kissed the top of her head, trying to hold in his smile. If she saw it, he might catch an elbow in the ribs.

They got a booth in the back corner. The bar was dark and crowded, with a far less selective clientele than most of the places they'd been to lately. Ranger was at home just about anywhere, but this was what he was used to. What he'd grown up with. He could tell when Steph finally relaxed too. He figured she liked the fancy restaurants, but she was a blue collar girl at heart. Not used to places that had a dress code.

He ordered a pizza and a pitcher of beer, then settled back to watch the room. He slipped an arm around her, leaning down enough to kiss her just above her ear. "So, what do you want to do now?"

"I don't know. Usually I have more to go on than this. Friends or relatives to follow up on, jobs or common haunts to stake out. This time I've got nothing. I don't even know where to start."

"That's the disadvantage to leaving your home turf. It would be easier if he was still using the same credit cards. If he's picked up a new one we're out of luck."

She blew out a stream of air and the corner of Ranger's mouth twitched. He pulled her closer. "He'll surface again. Even if we lost him this trip, at least we know he's alive. And he still has ties in Jersey. It's only a matter of time before he shows back up in Trenton."

"Doesn't make it any less frustrating."

"No. But I know something we can do that might alleviate some of that stress," he said, kissing her neck. "If you're done with that minute."

"Um."

Ranger drew in a patient breath and eased back in his seat. Trying very hard not to be frustrated. He knew she wanted him. He could see it all over her face. It was in her voice, and the way her body warmed when he touched her. Hell, the pheromones she was putting off were intoxicating. But none of that seemed to be enough. She was holding out for something with a future.

o o o

The Cayman was gone when they left Mel's. Not surprising. He'd texted Rico when he pulled into the lot to let him know they were done with it. Rico had been surprised it survived.

Ranger followed Steph to the passenger side of the 911 to open her door. The moment he got there, though, all he wanted to do was kiss her. He'd been sitting beside her all night, her body pressed into his chest in the booth, her thigh rubbing against his when she shifted in her seat. She might not be ready for him, but he knew damn well that she would let him steal another kiss.

He pressed her into the side of the car and poured everything into that one kiss until her fists were clenching his shirt. Her mouth tasting his with the same intensity he felt. He did nothing to control the images of tearing her clothes off a piece at a time. Maybe she was thinking about it too. Hell. He'd have done it if he thought she would have let him.

It took a second longer than it should have for him to register the red flag. They weren't alone. He froze, listening to the three sets of feet approaching them from behind. They were lean. Lightweight. Sneakers scuffing into the asphalt. Adolescents, most likely. Too silent to be out on the town. He could feel their focus. Heard the faint snick of a blade.

It took Steph a few extra seconds to realize something was wrong. She was squirming against him, her open mouth brushing his lips, begging to be taken. And then she went still. Doing a mental count of her own. Her fingers clenched harder into his shirt.

One of the boys stepped forward. "Alright, Romeo. Hand over your wallet and your lady friend's bag."

His voice was as young as his footsteps. Trembling just enough to show he wasn't a hardened criminal. There weren't any sniggers or catcalls from his friends. This was a move of desperation, not fun. Ranger drew back from Steph, locking his eyes on the nineteen year old over his shoulder. He saw the flash of panic when the kid finally got a good look at him. He must not have looked as intimidating from behind when he was making out with his woman against the side of the car. Now they were starting to understand what they'd really undertaken.

The kid might have considered backing away, but instead he doubled down. Pointed the puny six inch knife at Ranger's face. It was even smaller than the tactical blade he had clipped to his waistband. "Just do it!" the kid cried.

Ranger lifted his hands in a gesture of surrender and turned slowly to face his assailant. Then he snatched the kid's arm out of the air. The kid cried out in pain when his wrist twisted. The knife dropped to the ground.

His friends tried to rush in. They never stood a chance. Ranger had taken on multiple assailants before. Usually people who had a lot more training and deadly intent. This was a little like swatting flies. One of the boys managed to get his blade close enough to slice through Ranger's shirt. He hardly felt it. Barely worth his notice. He knocked the boy back with a punch to the chest and he stumbled over his friend's legs.

The boy broke for Steph and she gasped in panic. Before Ranger had a chance to worry about her though, her fist struck the kid's nose with a crack. He clapped his hands over his face and she kicked him hard. He crumpled to the ground.

Ranger caught one boy's arm and swung him head over heels onto the ground, knocking the other one in the gut. They were struggling to get to their feet, still not giving up. If he didn't make them stop soon, they were going to end up in the hospital. He pulled out his Glock from behind his back and pointed it at the ground just so they could see it. That did the trick. All three of them scurried away in a chorus of _fucks_ and _holy shit_ s. He watched them vanish into the shadows. Making sure they were gone before he tucked the gun away again and turned back to Steph. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, but my hand hurts."

"That means you put some real force behind that blow. I'm proud of you," Ranger said. He looked her over. Her knuckles were bloody from breaking the kid's nose, but the rest of her was untouched. He lifted her fist to his lips. "He never saw you coming."

"You probably don't get mugged very often, huh?"

"I have a certain reputation in Trenton. Bad guys there know better."

"You didn't get to shoot anyone."

"There's always tomorrow."

Her hands had started to shake, the adrenaline getting the better of her. She wasn't as good at processing it as he was. He pulled her into him and kissed her forehead. "Let's go home. I think today's been eventful enough."

She nodded, but it was numb. He wiped the blood from her knuckles before she could notice it and then opened her door for her, helping her ease down into the seat.

Steph was unusually quiet on the drive home. Her thoughts hidden. Ranger kept a hand on her leg. A constant, steady pressure. That seemed to help. She didn't look near panic. Wasn't shaking anymore. She took comfort in his affectionate touch.

He pulled his weapon when they got back to the cottage, just as a precaution. When he was satisfied the place hadn't been disturbed he shut and locked the front door. He went into the bedroom to set his gun on the bedside table.

"Do you think he'll come back?" Steph asked him, her voice stronger.

"No. But it's always wise to be cautious."

The shallow cut on his chest was starting to irritate. He looked down at it. The black cotton was glistening around the slice in his shirt. Steph gaped at him. "You're bleeding!"

"Yeah. One of those little punks got in a lucky shot," he said, stripping off the shirt. His chest was red. "Grab me a towel."

She obeyed quickly, returning with a clean white washcloth from the bathroom. "Why didn't you say anything?"

Ranger's mouth twitched. He liked that she worried about him. "It's just a scratch, Babe. I've had worse."

Her face grew even more serious as she stared at him. The worry fluttering through with her other thoughts. She cared about him. A lot. He tried not to focus on what that might mean. How deep her feelings might run. It was hard enough doing the right thing without asking himself if there was any part of her that might love him.

He didn't have to ask that for himself anymore. He knew all too well what his feelings were. Had for a while. After that first night together he knew he felt something for her. Loved her, in his own way. And that feeling had gotten stronger as time passed. He would admit it to her sometimes. Qualify it. Making sure she knew it wasn't the kind of love that came with wedding rings or a future.

Things don't always work out the way you plan, though. He wasn't ever supposed to love her. And yet, there came a moment when he couldn't deny it anymore. The night she vanished from the funeral home. Kidnapped by the undertaker. He'd pulled in every man, every resource, to search for her. Called in every favor. Because he knew if he lost her, a small part of his world would end. When he finally found her, curled up and limp in an overhead cupboard, his heart stopped beating because he was sure she was dead. And then she fell out of the cupboard and into his arms, still alive, still breathing, and he had a moment of absolute relief because he realized he wasn't ready to face a world without her in it.

He never qualified his love for her again. Not after that night. Because he didn't just love her in his own way. He loved her more than he had ever loved another person. And while he couldn't ever promise her a ring or a future like she deserved, the kind of love he felt was too strong to cheapen with qualifiers.

She traced a line under the shallow incision with her fingers, letting them lead across his chest. There was a light in her eyes behind the sapphire. If he let himself, he might be tempted to wonder if she felt it too. Maybe she did love him. Just a little.

He drew her closer, wrapping his arms around her waist. Near enough that he could rest his forehead between her breasts. He was waiting for the moment she would pull away. She was a smart girl. It would be the right thing to do. But the longer she didn't, the more he prayed she'd stay. His fingers curled into the back of her shirt when she came up flush against him and her breath caught.

She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him. That was the only sign he needed. He stripped off her shirt and looped an arm around her waist, slinging her onto the bed so that he could cover her with his body. Their clothes hit the floor a piece at a time, forgotten in the swirl of heat and passion. And when he started making love to her, it was with all the promises he wished he could offer.

o o o

Even after the sun rose, they snuggled together for a long time under the sweaty sheets. Her body lay sated on top of his. Practically purring. He let his fingertips stroke the length of her with lazy contentment. Memorizing the moment.

She stretched up a little to kiss his neck and he stirred again. He felt her smile. "You should call room service," she said against his skin.

He rolled her onto her back. That sounded promising. "Are we staying in today?"

"Well, maybe not _all_ day."

He let the corner of his mouth lift. All her walls were gone again and he didn't see any signs of them going back up. He knew that wouldn't last forever, but then nothing ever did. For the moment, he was just happy that she was willing to let things be. "What did you have in mind?"

"I figured we could call some hotels from here. I mean, there's no sense running around chasing shadows, right?"

"Right," he said, taking advantage of her glowing mood. He let his hands wander over her, his mouth following. "And as long as we're making calls from the privacy of our own bed—"

"I was serious about room service, though. I'm starving."

He let out a laugh and reached for the phone on the bedside table.

He ordered enough food to last them most of the day. If they ran out from working up an appetite, he could always order more. They made love again before the food arrived, and when it did, he brought a portion of it back to the bed where she was laying in a satisfied lump. He leaned her back against his chest while they lounged on the bed together, eating in companionable silence.

It wasn't something they'd ever shared before, but he could get used to it.

After their bellies were filled, Ranger went back into the kitchen to make some more coffee. Steph started calling the other hotels on the list. They'd broken it down by region. Checking Honolulu first, and then some of the more likely places on North Shore. She was telling them that her dear old uncle had just come into town and that she was trying to surprise him for his anniversary, but didn't know when he was supposed to check in. Promised a big tip if they called her with a heads up. Ranger was impressed. It was a good cover. Couple that with her non-threatening look and trustable demeanor, it wouldn't be a wonder if her fishing expedition bore results.

Assuming The Rug made it to any of those hotels.

Steph was lying on her belly across the foot of the bed when he came back in, her feet dangling in the air like a teenager. It might have been cute if it weren't for the fact she was wearing one of his black t-shirts and little else, a flash of red showing beneath the edge where the shirt didn't quite cover her ass. An easy reminder that she was a full grown woman.

His full grown woman.

He watched her for a moment from the doorway. Leaning against the frame with his arms across his chest. Trying to decide if he was more amused or turned on. Turned on won. She pressed the phone to her ear again and waited for an answer. Ranger didn't wait anymore. He stalked toward her, stealing a portion of her attention. She didn't resist when he caught her foot, pressing a kiss to the back of her ankle. She tried to ignore him and went on with her sales pitch, but she was starting to lose focus the higher on her leg that he kissed. He reached the back of her knee and lingered there, using his tongue as well as his lips. She forgot for a second what she was saying.

"—I don't suppose you could—tell me when they check in—" she half panted. He resisted the urge to smile. He'd made it to the hem of his shirt, just an inch below her ass. Her skin was more sensitive there. Not used to this kind of attention. She tried to bat him away before she lost focus entirely, but he wasn't about to let her get away that easily.

Ranger grabbed her hips and flipped her over. She yelped in surprise. The voice said something on the other line. Sounded slightly concerned. "Sorry—saw a spider," Steph answered. Ranger raised his eyebrow, a grin trying to get out. "Anyway, I was just wondering if my aunt and uncle got there last night."

He let his fingers creep up her parted thighs and she looked ready to catch flame. He reached the edge of the shirt and slipped his hands underneath, pulling at the waistband of her red panties. She tried to bat him away again but he only grinned, lowering his lips to her thighs. Following their line up in a way that told her his end goal. She hurried off the phone and tossed it down. "I'm working here."

"I know. It's very sexy."

She couldn't keep from smiling at that. His mouth resuming its path. "How sexy?"

She really enjoyed the answer.

It didn't take long for her to give up on phone calls. They retreated to the private spa, not bothering with bathing suits. He would have just removed hers anyway. They alternated between lounging and making love until the food was gone. Steph leaning against his chest, wrinkly and boneless, his arms wrapped tightly around her.

Her stomach growled again and he laughed. "Should we order some more room service? Bet they'd send us steak and lobster."

"As tempting as that sounds, if I don't get out of this spa I'll have to be ironed out."

"We could move back to the bed," he said, lifting her hand out of the water to kiss her wrist, then her palm, and then the back of her wedding band. He really did like that she never took it off. Maybe he should let her keep it.

She leaned back until her cheek was brushing his, her lips on his skin. "How about we take a shower, and then we can get some dinner."

"I could get into that."

He took his time with the shower. Something she really appreciated. Twice. He left her in the bedroom to get dressed while he made reservations and shaved. He was nearly done when he heard her open the front door. It was odd. They weren't expecting anything. The voice at the door was even, though. Friendly. Ranger took the last swipe with his razor and wiped his face, stepping out of the bathroom to see who she had opened the door for.

"What is it, Babe?"

Then his eyes met the incredulous stare of the man standing in the open doorway.

It was Morelli.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter Sixteen

Joe Morelli just stared at him for a second like his eyes were lying to him. Ranger got a perverse satisfaction out of that. Morelli was the idiot, after all, that chose to pass on the trip. Sent Steph to Hawaii all alone. What did he expect to happen?

Then Morelli's eyes flicked to Steph. Shit. All she would see is the hurt. He was going to lose her sooner than he'd expected. Then Morelli's eyes dropped to the ring on her left hand and rage snapped through his black eyes. He crossed the foyer in one step with an exhale of _sonofabitch_ , his fist cutting into Ranger's face.

The retaliation was all instinct when Ranger broke his nose. Morelli's head snapped back, blood spurting down his face and onto Ranger's knuckles. Morelli swung at him again and Ranger slammed him into the wall hard. Savage.

Morelli tackled his middle and they fell back onto the coffee table and then crashed to the floor. He could hear Steph shouting at them with that shrieky, panicked voice she got. An equal mix of fury and fear. But he couldn't stop. Every blow he landed felt like justice. Morelli deserved to bleed. And not just for the cheap shot. No. This was personal.

He got in another shot across Morelli's face and caught a fist to the ribs. They rolled again and he had the upper hand. And then metal prongs touched the back of his neck and the lights went out.

He was only vaguely aware of his surrounding as he fought the shadows. He was in a car. His hands cuffed in front of him. Steph's voice was like a whisper of wind in the distance. It was the only thing that kept him from trying to break free. She was swearing. Profusely. A constant mutter of angry curses that she wasn't even aware she was saying out loud.

The emergency bay of a hospital came into focus when he managed to open his eyes. He didn't let her know that he was alert, though. She would be furious with him. With both of them. Grown men who had acted like children. Fighting over her like she was a toy in the schoolyard.

Morelli was twitching in the backseat beside him. Murmuring in a low string of Italian as he regained consciousness. Ranger knew almost no Italian, but he recognized a fair few of the words Morelli was using. If he hadn't been cuffed, he might have hit him again.

It took several orderlies to drag them out of the car and into the waiting room. Two massive men handcuffed and covered in blood must have made quite the impression. Steph had them set him up on the wall by the nurses' station. Morelli by the ER doors. Probably afraid that if they were too near one another, things might escalate again.

He couldn't say that was a baseless fear. Especially given the daggers Morelli was shooting at him through the mask of blood.

He had never intended to fight Morelli. Not that it hadn't been tempting over the years. Morelli could be an ass. Most of the time he was a good guy, though. And Ranger couldn't blame him for his jealously. It was exactly how he would feel if a man like him was sniffing around after his girlfriend. Ranger knew all along that he was stepping on Morelli's toes every time he kissed her. That he was the one pushing into the middle of a situation where he didn't belong.

And yet something had snapped in him anyway. Something that broke through his careful control. This was Morelli's own fault, after all. He was the ass that took Steph for granted. Stepped back like a coward when things got hard. Ranger had sat on the sidelines for a long time watching that train wreck. Standing by to pick up the pieces when he should have been keeping his distance. And now Steph had seen a glimpse of the darkness in him. It probably terrified her.

She was standing just outside of the waiting room, watching them from the safety of the hallway, her arms wrapped around her chest. Watching Morelli. There was a fair amount of anger simmering there. But mostly she looked sad. Letting the guilt eat at her as she watched Morelli refuse to look at her. She loved him. Didn't like seeing him hurt. And not just the swollen eyes and the broken nose Ranger had given him. She had hurt him too. Because she had the audacity to move on.

Fucking Morelli.

Ranger knew he didn't have any right to hate him in that moment, but he did. And not just because he was going to get the girl. It was because, deep down, Ranger knew he was supposed to let him.

Steph's eyes moved from Morelli to Ranger. He thought for sure that he would see fear. He had been an animal. Tearing into the man she loved like a feral dog. No control. No remorse. Covered in Morelli's blood as much as his own. He didn't see fear, though. He saw the same guilt and sadness as when she'd looked at Morelli. She was blaming herself. Christ.

She shied away from his gaze and slipped into the hallway. He would have given anything to go after her, but he knew he couldn't. And not just because it would cause an upset since he was still handcuffed and bloody. No. She wouldn't have let him. Not in front of Morelli.

He tried to hurry the doctors along when they started assessing the damage. Seven stitches under his left eye, the result of Morelli's right hook. They took an x-ray of his hand too when they saw the swelling. He had a break in his fourth metacarpal. A Brawler's Fracture. Guess he hit Morelli harder than he'd expected when the calm exterior slipped.

It had been a couple of hours since he'd seen Steph. She hadn't come to check on him after they carted him into the ER. He'd texted Noah from radiology. The answer said that she'd gone back to the resort. A small consolation. At least she wasn't with Morelli. The doctor wanted to put a cast on his hand, but he wouldn't wait. He let them splint it and pressed to be discharged.

He got a call from Noah as he was leaving the building.

"I'm on my way now," Ranger told him.

"Won't do you any good. She left."

"Where the fuck did she go?"

Noah was quiet for a second. Ranger didn't swear like that often. Not in a long time. Noah probably heard the anger still clinging under his thin veneer of calm. "Maybe you shouldn't follow her."

It took a good portion of his self control not to growl at the man. He disconnected and called Tank. "I need Steph's 20."

Tank didn't speak right away. For a dark moment, Ranger wondered if he'd talked to Noah. But after a few words in the background, he came back on the line. "Her signal says she's at the airport. I've got her on a flight at 11:35," he said. And then he hesitated. "You didn't know that?"

He didn't answer. "Get me on that flight."

"It boards in under an hour. You'll never make it through security."

"Then the next one."

"Next one's not until tomorrow." Tank paused a beat. "Is there something I should know?"

"No." Ranger considered his options. Didn't like any of them. He thought about having the flight held, but that would cause a lot of trouble he couldn't justify. He shut down his emotions. "Get me on her flight anyway, and book me on the next one as a backup."

"You got it."

Ranger disconnect and called Noah back. "I need a ride."

"You're going after her anyway aren't you?"

"If it makes you feel any better I've got a snowball's chance in hell of catching her."

It took Noah twenty minutes to get him to the airport. Ranger pushed his way through security, calling her cell for the twentieth time. It went straight to voicemail.

He got to the gate just in time to watch the plane lifting off the runway.

o o o

Ranger found the 911 in the airport parking lot, right where she'd told Noah it would be.

The 911 felt empty on his drive back to the resort. Wrathful energy roaming around the intimate space with the faint scent she'd left behind.

His phone rang just as he was crossing the threshold into the lobby. For a brief second he thought it might be Steph. Then he reminded himself that she was in the air.

It was Silvio. "Finally cracked through the security firewall. Searched the footage during the window you specified. I didn't see anyone suspicious near your place. Just maid service and a member of staff I've identified as Thomas Connor, the hotel's concierge. I'm sending you a photo. You want me to keep digging?"

The image came through a second later. It was a face he knew. Ranger turned the full measure of his fury on the squirrely guy behind the front desk. "Not necessary." He disconnected and stalked toward Thomas Connor. Thomas turned white. Ranger had to resist the urge to squeeze the guy by the throat and drag him over the front desk. Given the way his prey swallowed, the impulse must have been all over his face, along with the evidence of the fight with Morelli. He leaned in close.

The guy squeaked. "She told you?"

Ranger's already dark mood worsened. "She didn't have to. I have a man who was able to break into the hotel's security feed. That same man could cut out the cameras right now so that you and I could have a very private discussion." Thomas swallowed, sweat beading across his forehead. "What were you looking for when you searched the very expensive private cottage I paid for?"

"Y—your wife—she was acting—s—suspicious—I was just—trying to make sure she—w—was who you –s—said she was."

Ranger crooked a finger toward Thomas and the man leaned closer like he knew it was the less dangerous option. "You're lucky I have bigger problems right now. I don't need to add finding a place to dispose of a body to the list. But when you go to find a new job after I make sure you're fired from this one, I recommend that you second-guess who you choose to fuck with. Am I making myself clear?"

The guy nodded dumbly, too terrified to speak.

Ranger glared at him for a long moment before he turned his back on the kid and walked away.

He stood at the front door of the cottage for a moment before he pushed the door open. It felt empty too. All of Steph's things were gone. He went to get his gun off the bedside table and froze.

Sitting beside it, right next to his black wedding band, was her ring. It shone in the low light. Left behind when she ran away. Somewhere in the sky, Stephanie Plum was on an airplane with a naked finger. It was the first time he didn't like that some part of her was naked.

Another feeling that he shouldn't have.

He didn't land in Newark until late morning two days after Stephanie left. Tank was waiting at the airport. He'd left everything Noah had given him in the back of the Porsche. Including the hardware that Steph had wisely chosen to leave behind.

Tank didn't say anything on the drive back to Rangeman. He knew better. But there was little chance he hadn't figured out on his own what had happened. They pulled into the Rangeman garage and Ranger took the elevator up to his penthouse apartment.

It was usually a calm, cool bastion of serenity. This time it just felt empty.

He dropped his keys in the tray on the sideboard. Set his gun beside it. Flipped through the mail in a mindless effort to find normalcy. Didn't work.

He thought about calling her. Just to make sure she was safe. But he knew, given the way she'd fled the island, that seeing him was probably the last things she wanted. He needed to rest anyway. Seventeen hours on a plane wasn't exactly a picnic.

He scrubbed a tired hand over his face before he gave in and pulled up her GPS signal again. He watched it for a minute before he stepped away, heading into his cavernous walk in closet. He opened his gun safe.

Ranger looked at the beautiful white gold and diamond ring for a second before he closed the ring box and set it in the back corner of the safe, swinging the door shut.

* * *

Hope you enjoyed DARK PASSION

Now continue Ranger's side of the story in FEARLESS

The companion piece that runs parallel to PLUM SCARY

Starting Monday!


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